334 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
incisions are made in the swelling, and from them obtained 
a flow of blood mingled with a small quantity of pus from 
several different centres. By this means sloughing of the 
diseased portion is quickly obtained, and nothing but an 
ordinary open wound left for treatment. It should be men- 
tioned, however, that when sloughing can be in any way 
induced to take place naturally it is better to allow this 
to take place. Even when the necrosed portion is freely 
movable, and only adherent by its base, it should not be 
forcibly removed, but left to the slower but more effectual 
action of the tissue reactions. If torn forcibly away, we in 
all probability leave in the bottom of the wound remnants 
of the dead tissue, which, being small and consequently less 
productive of inflammatory phenomena, are not so readily 
sloughed as the larger portion. These remain as centres of 
infection, and prolong the case. 
Once a suitable slough has occurred, the after-treatment 
is simple. It consists in dressing the wound with reliable 
antiseptics, and maintaining the parts in a healthy con- 
dition until Nature completes the cure by repairing the 
breach. Solutions of carbolic acid, of perchloride of mer- 
cury, of zinc chloride, or of moderately strong solutions of 
copper sulphate, are all of them useful (see also treatment 
of coronitis on p. 236). 
It is sometimes found that even with careful attention 
the wound left by the removal of the slough shows a marked 
disinclination to heal. The greater portion of the cavity 
becomes filled with granulation tissue, and the epidermis 
gradually closes round until all is covered except a spot of 
perhaps the size of half a crown or a crown piece. Here 
the regenerative process stops, and the wound obstinately 
refuses to effectually close. 
In such cases we have derived excellent results with the 
actual cautery. The animal is cast, the foot firmly secured 
by fastening it upon the cannon of another limb, and the 
animal chloroformed. A practical point to be remembered 
in this connection is that all necessary fixing of the limb is 
easicr performed if the chloroform is administered first. 
