CANKEE. 169 



of examining by dissection any such case after death has not 

 been forthcoming, I feel assured from the appearance of these 

 feet, that one wing of the pedal bone must have been twisted 

 either upwards and inwards, or downwards and inwards, as the 

 case may have been. In the very few instances observed, only 

 one side appeared to be affected . Such a condition will, almost 

 to a certainty, give rise to very obstinate thrush, and render it 

 difficult to afford the foot a level and properly adjusted " bearing," 

 whether the animal be woAed barefoot or in shoes. Although 

 the probability of effecting a radical cure in an aggravated case 

 of this kind would be remote, the condition sliould be palliated 

 by keeping the heels very low, so as to get as much frog pressfire 

 as possible (see treatment of " Thrush," page 166) ; attending to 

 th-e thrush, if present; and letting the animal go barefoot, or 

 using " tips." If these simple means be of no avail, try the 

 effective one of cutting, through the wall of the hoof, a groove 

 from the coronet to the ground surface of the foot, sO as tO' isolate 

 the abnormally turned in portion of the wall close to the heels, 

 from the remainder of the hoof. The groove should be made as 

 deep as possible without drawing blood, in a manner similar to 

 that described for sandcrack (pp. 178 and 180), and should be 

 kept filled with beeswax while the foot is growing down. 



The appearance of slight contraction, due to the natural form of 

 the foot being narrow, is compatible with health. So long as the 

 contraction does not co-exist with disease, other than thrush, or 

 with any infirmity which prevents the horse from placing his foot 

 " fair " on the ground, or with malformation ; the foot can be 

 restored to a healthy and natural state, in a short time, by tlie 

 means already described. 



- LEGAL ASPECT.— If contraction of the hoof is liable to produce 

 lameness, it is an unsoundness. See Greenway v. Marshall, 9th 

 Dec, 1845, which case was tried before Chief Baron Pollock. 



Canker. 



DEFINITION. — Canker is a chronic and apparently infective 

 inflammation of the membrane which secretes the sole and frog, 

 and is a continuation of the skin of the pastern. This membrane 

 covers the pedal bone. Canker seems to bear the same relation 

 to thrush, as grease does to cracked heels. Spontaneous recovery 

 from it does not appear to be possible. 



SYMPTOMS. — The diseased portion of the membrane which, 

 during health, performs the function of manufacturing sound horn 



