DISEASES OP THE FETLOCK, ANELE, AND FOOT. 425 



coronary band and escapes from an opening between the band and 

 hoof, an opening must be made on the sole, and cold baths made 

 astringent with a little sulphate of iron or copper are to be used for a 

 day or two. When the discharge becomes healthy, the fistulous tracts 

 may be injected daily with a weak solution of bichlorid of mercury, 

 nitrate of silver, etc., and the foot dressed as after operation for moist 

 corns. When complications arise, the treatment must be varied to 

 meet the indications ; if gangrene of the lateral cartilage takes place 

 it must be treated as directed under the head of cartilaginous qulttor ; 

 if the velvety tissue is gangrenous, it must be cut away ; if the coffin 

 bone is necrosed, it must be scraped, and the resulting wounds treated 

 on general principles. After any of the operations for corns have 

 been performed, in which the soft tissues have been laid bare, it is 

 best to protect the foot by a sole of soft leather set beneath the shoe 

 when the animal is returned to work. Only in rare instances are the 

 complications of corns so serious as to destroy the life or usefulness of 

 the patient. It is the wide, flat foot with low heels and thin wall 

 which is most liable to resist all efforts toward effecting a complete 

 cure. 



BRUISE OP THE FROG. 



When the frog is severely bruised the injury is followed by suppu- 

 ration beneath the horn, and at times by partial gangrene of the 

 plantar cushion. 



Causes. — A bruise of the frog generally happens from stepping on 

 a rough stone or other hard object. It is more liable to take place 

 when trotting, running, or jumping than when at a slower pace. A 

 stone wedged in the shoe and pressing on the frog or between the 

 sides of the frog and the shoe, if it remains for a time, produces the 

 same results. A cut through the horny frog with some sharp instru- 

 ment or a punctured wound by a blunt-pointed instrument may also 

 cause suppuration and gangrene of the plantar cushion. Broad, flat 

 feet with low heels and a fleshy frog are most liable to these in- 

 juries. • • 



Synhftoms. — Lameness, severe in proportion to the extent of the 

 bruise and the conseqtient suppuration, is always an early symptom. 

 When the animal moves, the toe only is placed to the ground or the 

 foot is carried and the patient hobbles along on three legs. When 

 he is at rest, the foot is set forward with the toe on the ground and 

 the leg flexed at the fetlock joint. As soon as the pus finds its way 

 to the surface the lameness improves. If the frog is examined early 

 the injured spot may usually be found ; later, if no opening exists, 

 the pus may be discovered working its way toward the heels. The 

 horn is loosened from the deeper tissues, and, if pared through,' a 

 thin, yellow, watery and oifensive pus escapes. In other cases a 



