DISEASES FROM FAULTY CONFORMATION 165 
Symptoms.—In every case the fissure, or evidence of its 
commencement, is a diagnostic symptom. It is well to 
remember, however, that this may be easily overlooked, 
especially when the crack is one commencing at the 
coronary margin. The reason is this: Sand-cracks in this 
position often commence in the wall proper, and not in the 
periople. They may, in fact, be first observed as a fine 
separation of the horn fibres immediately beneath the 
perioplic covering. A crack of this description may even 
show hemorrhage, and have been in existence for some time, 
without the periople itself showing any lesion whatever. 
Thus, unless lameness is present, or a more than specially 
keen search is directed to the parts in question, the sand- 
crack goes undiscovered, until of greater dimensions. 
Further, the fissure may be hidden, either accidentally 
or of set purpose. It may be covered by the hair, filled in 
and covered over with mud, or intentionally concealed by 
being ‘stopped’ with an artificial horn, with wax, or with 
gutta-percha, or, as is more common, be hidden by the 
lavish application of a greasy hoof-dressing. 
In this latter connection itis well to warn the veterinary 
surgeon, especially the beginner, when examining for 
soundness, to be keenly critical before passing an animal 
who is presented with feet smothered with tar and grease 
or any other dressing. More especially should this warning 
be heeded when examining any of the heavier breeds of 
animal with an abundance of hair about the coronet. 
Referring again to the search for the crack, it is well to 
know that with toe-crack the fissure is the more readily seen 
when the foot is lifted from the ground. With quarter- 
crack, on the other hand, the fissure is wider, and con- 
sequently the easier detected with the foot bearing weight. 
Although commencing in the insidious manner we have 
described, the lesion is not thus often seen by the veterinary 
surgeon. Usually, the animal with sand-crack is brought 
for his inspection when lameness has arisen from it. In 
this case the cause for the lameness will reveal itself in the 
crack, which is now too large to escape observation. The 
