WOUNDS 213 
The.fact that this occasionally happens only serves to give 
point to the advice we have previously rendered—that every 
stab should be carefully probed, and its exact condition and 
depth ascertained. 
In those cases where percussion has led to the positive 
opinion that pus really exists, then the exploration must be 
most searching. There may, or may not, be a suspicious- . 
looking mark to work on. In the latter case, the veterinary/ 
surgeon must not be content with confining his paririg 
operations to one spot. The sole should be carefu/ly 
thinned all round, and the thinning cautiously proceeded 
with until either small, pin-point hemorrhages denote/ that 
healthy sensitive structures have been reached, or a s/udden 
flow of pus indicates that the injury has been definitely 
located. 
While the symptoms remain much about the game, the 
diagnosis of pricks received in the forge, as compared with 
those occurring in the natural manner, is 
animal starts to the forge quite sound, and yeturns, per- 
haps, with a slight limp. The slight limp /in two days’ 
time becomes a decided lameness, and no dloubt remains 
as to what has occurred. The mere fact of the lameness 
arising immediately after a visit to the /forge should be 
sufficient in the majority of cases to lead/ one to a correct 
diagnosis. a 
Where the opinion has been formé/d that a prick has 
been received, then the shoe should be/removed. 
This operation should always be superintended by the 
veterinary surgeon himself. After’ the removal of the 
clinches, the nails should be drawn ‘one at a time with the 
pincers, and carefully examined. .Often the offending nail 
may thus be picked out by observing upon it blood-stains, 
or the moisture from inflammatory exudate or from pus. 
Further inflammation will also be gathered by occasionally 
meeting with a nail that has split. 
At this stage, too, the veterinary surgeon should have 
noticed whether or not the smith has previously sent the 
animal home with what is known as a ‘ draw back.’ He 
