INFLAMMATORY AFFECTIONS 315 
Put thus, treatment of canker would at first sight appear 
to be easy. One would imagine that a simple and long- 
continued soaking of the entire foot in a strong enough 
antiseptic would be all that was needed. Clinical observa- 
tion, however, shows that this is not so, and for this there 
must be reasons. 
The reasons are these: (1) Between us and the diseased 
layer upon which our attention must be directed is often a 
layer of normal horn, effectually protecting the tissues 
beneath from any dressing which we might consider 
beneficial. (2) Anything applied with the object of de- 
stroying septic material, but strong enough, or caustic 
enough, to injure the membrane upon which we are working, 
only makes the case worse. The superficial layer of the 
keratogenous membrane in which we have judged the 
disease to exist is, after all, but a delicate structure. When 
attacked by the application of too potent a drug its horn- 
secreting layer is easily destroyed, and thus, although we 
may succeed in establishing asepsis, we cannot expect at the 
point of injury a growth of horn. In its place we are 
confronted with large outgrowths of inflammatory fibrous 
tissue. (3) Shedding of the diseased horn and removal of 
the pressure exerted by the hoof faces us with hypertrophy 
of the exposed villi. The difficulty of meeting this with an 
adequate and evenly-distributed pressure is well enough 
known, and we find in that a further reason that the treat- 
ment of canker is superlatively difficult. (4) The material 
on which the animal has to stand is a distinct bar to the 
maintaining of a strict asepsis. 
When we have said this, it is easy to understand that 
canker is not to be successfully met with any so-called 
specific—that it makes but little difference what the applica- 
tion may be so long as it is antiseptic, and is used by a man 
thoroughly conversant with the difficulties he has to contend 
with, and with his mind firmly set upon surmounting them. 
With this point established, we will not devote more of 
our space to a consideration of the various dressings that 
have at different times been highly advocated in the treat- 
