FOR&E PRICKS 479 



around the puncture and cauterizing with hydrochloric acid 

 is sufficient treatment when the stabs are superficial, but 

 when severe pain indicates a deeper injury prompt surgical 

 intervention is always prudent. The procedure is as fol- 

 lows: 



RESTRAINT. — Cocainize the plantar nerve on the af- 

 fected side and operate in the standing position; or, better 

 still, secure the patient upon the table. 



First Step. — After submitting the sole and frog on the 

 injured side to a good paring and trimming off all of the de- 

 tached horn around the puncture, the foot is well disinfected 

 with a strong solution of mercuric chloride. 



Second Step. — After applying a tourniquet to the meta- 

 carpus a V-shaped section of wall is then stripped or pared 

 off from the weight-bearing border of the wall upward. 

 (Fig. 244). The laminae externally and the velvety tissue be- 

 neath, that have been thus exposed, are then resected 

 down to the bone and over as much surface as they are 

 found to be involved in the inflammatory process. If the os 

 pedis, indicated by roughness, is found denuded of perios- 

 teum over any part exposed, it is curetted. 



Third Step. — The wound is then submitted to an inten- 

 sive antiseptic treatment, first with hydrogen peroxide, 

 which may even be injected freely into the soft tissues bor- 

 dering the wound with a hypodermic syringe, and then with 

 mercuric chloride 1-500. 



Fourth Step. — The cavity is packed firmly with a pled- 

 get of antiseptic cotton and bound tight .to prevent post- 

 operative bleeding. 



AFTER-CARE.— At the end of twenty-four hours the 

 dressing is removed and the wound treated to a coating of 

 iodine crystals in ether. The shoe is applied and the wound 

 protected with antiseptic cotton held in position with the 

 shoe and bandage. (Fig. 245). Daily dressing with 1 the io- 

 dine solution is continued until all the lameness has disap- 

 peared and the discharge has ceased. The wound is ex- 

 amined carefully each day for exfoliations from the os pedis, 

 which are extirpated as soon as they are detached. Su- 

 perfluous granulations are controlled with astringents, or, 

 if exuberant, with the actual cautery. 



Forge Pricks. 



Forge pricks is the name we 'apply to punctures of the 

 keratogenous tissue by misdriven horseshoe nails. These 

 are the most insidious of all hoof punctures. The initial 



