238 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
When it so happens, either from extensive bruising or 
from the action of excessive cold, that we have or suspect 
the condition of sloughing, then the first indication is to 
aid the live tissues to throw off the necrosed portion. In 
spite of what is sometimes urged to the contrary, a hot 
poultice is, perhaps, the best means of bringing this about. 
Directly the necrosed piece is shed, a wound remains which, 
so far as treatment is concerned, may be regarded exactly 
as that left by the formation of pus. Hot water applica- 
tions, some three or four times daily, will serve both to 
cleanse the wound and also to maintain vitality in the 
tissues immediately surrounding it. After each washing, 
the use of a strong antiseptic solution to the wound is 
again beneficial. 
In the case of an actual wound, whether, as in over- 
reach, affecting the coronet alone or involving destruction 
of part of the wall, or, as in the case of toe-tread, penetrating 
the pedal articulation, the treatment to be followed is simple 
enough, in theory, if not always easy to carry out. It con- 
sists solely in maintaining a rigid asepsis of the parts until 
healing is well advanced or complete. The whole foot, 
including the coronet, should first be thoroughly washed in 
warm water. At the same time there should be used some 
agent that will tend to remove the natural grease of the 
parts. In this manner cleansing will be rendered more 
thorough, and penetration of the antiseptic solution to be 
afterwards applied made the more certain. The most ready 
way of effecting this is to use the ordinary stable ‘ water ’- 
brush, and plenty of a freely-lathering soap. 
This done, the foot should be rinsed in cold water, and 
afterwards constantly soaked in a cold antiseptic bath. 
Where it is inconvenient or impossible to have the constant 
bathing carried out, a dry antiseptic dressing may be tried 
in its stead. In this case the foot should first be thoroughly 
washed and dressed as before. Afterwards an antiseptic 
powder in the shape of a mixture of iodoform 1 part, 
boracic acid 10 parts, should be freely dusted on the wound, 
a pledget of carbolized tow or cotton-wool placed over it, 
