424 DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 



as, for instance, the shoe with a high calk; but in such cases it is 

 considered that the injuries liable to result from the use of calks are 

 less serious than those which are sure to happen for the want of them. 



For a sound foot perfectly formed, a flat shoe, with heels less thick 

 than the toe, and which rests evenly on the wall proper, is the best. 

 In flat feet it is often necessary to concave the shoe as much as possi- 

 ble on the upper surface, so that the sole may not be pressed upon. 

 If the heels are very low the heels of the shoe may be made thicker. . 

 If the foot is very broad and the wall light toward the heels, a bar 

 shoe resting upon the frog will aid to prevent excessive tension upon 

 the soft tissues when the foot receives the weight of the body. A 

 piece of leather placed l^etween the foot and shoe serves largely to 

 destroy concussion, and its use is absolutely necessary on some ani- 

 mals to enable them to work. 



Last among the preventive measures may be mentioned those which 

 serve to maintain the suppleness of the hoof. The dead horn upon 

 the surface of the sole not only retains moisture for a long time, but 

 protects the living horn beneath from the effects of evaporation ; for 

 this reason the sole should be pared as little as possible. StuiEng the 

 feet with flaxseed meal, wet clay, or other like substances, or damp 

 dirt floors or damp bedding of tanbark, greasy hoof ointments, etc., 

 are all means which may be used to keep the feet from becoming too 

 dry and hard. 



As to the curative measures -which are to be adopted much will 

 depend upon the extent of the injury. If the case is one of chronic 

 dry corn, with but slight lameness, the foot should be poulticed for a 

 day or tAvo and the discolored horn pared out, care being taken not to 

 injure the soft tissues. The heel on'the affected side is to be lowered 

 until all pressure iff removed and, if the patient's labor is required, 

 the foot must be shod with a bar shoe or with one having stiff heels. 

 Care must be taken to reset the shoe before the foot has grown too 

 long, else the shoe will no longer rest on the wall, but on the sole 

 and bar. 



I believe in cutting moist corns out. If there is inflammation, 

 cold baths and poultices should be used; when the horn is well 

 softened and the fever allayed, pare out the diseased horn, lightly 

 cauterize the soft tissues beneath, and poultice the foot for two or 

 three days. When the granulations look red, dress the wound with 

 oakum balls saturated in a weak solution of tincture of aloes or spirits 

 of camphor and apply a roller bandage. Change the dressing every 

 two or three days until a firm, healthy layer of new horn covers the 

 wound, when the shoe may be put on, as in dry corn, and the patient 

 returned to work. 



In suppurative corns the loosened horn must be removed, so that 

 the pus may freely escape. If the pus has worked a passage to the 



