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times, and then every six hours on the following day. Afterwards, the 
aconite should be omitted from the draught, which may be given three times. 
daily. The bicarbonate of potassium is greatly to be preferred to the 
bicarbonate of sodium. In the case of very plethoric animals, three or four 
quarts of blood should be abstracted from the jugular vein, and in those 
cases where the arteries of the feet pulsate very distinctly, we may remove a 
pint of blood from each coronet, by puncturing with the lancet. The 
feet should be kept in tubs containing water at a temperature of about 
110° F, After the first day, poultices of bran may be substituted. When 
the animal becomes much better, bar shoes shoud be put on; and the animal: 
should be gently exercised for half an hour daily. The exercise should be 
gradually increased, until recovery is complete. After the acute symptoms 
have abated, it is customary to have the coronets well blistered. 
In cases of chronic laminitis, the soles or frogs should not be pared on 
any consideration ; but the animal should be shod with leathern plates, upon 
which. the bar shoes should be _ nailed. The coronets should be 
blistered with red iodide of mercury ointment. This blistering may be 
repeated in three or four days, with equal parts of lard and red iodide of 
mercury ointment. Pressure upon the frog is important in shoeing in this 
condition of the foot. In those cases where the animal manifests uneasiness. 
_after work, or when the hoofs are abnormally heated, it is well to allow the 
horse to stand with the fore feet in cold water for an hour or two. Where 
this is unnecessary, the horse is better on a cool than on a heated bedding. 
NAVICULAR DISEASE AND CONTRACTED FOOT. 
THERE is no more important subject in the whole range of veterinary 
surgery, than the one which it is our intention now to discuss. It is not our 
purpose to enter fully into the many theories which have been propounded 
concerning the pathology of this obdurate and common cause of unsound- 
ness, which is sometimes spoken of as “ groggy,” and was formerly known as: 
coffin-bone-lameness. Indeed, with the small space at our disposal this 
would be absolutely impossible, for one might write an elaborate treatise on 
this subject. It is rather our object here to draw the notice of horsemen to 
-those practical facts which, from every point of view, deserve to receive very 
careful attention. 
The navicular is a transversely elongated bone situated at the back of 
the coffin bone. It is flattened above and below, and narrowed at the 
extremities. It is made up of an outer layer of dense compact bone, 
enclosing very dense spongy bone. Behind this bone there is a very 
important tendon, which passes round it to become attached to the back of 
the coffin bone. This tendon passes upwards behind the limb, and joins the 
muscle which, when called into action, bends the foot. 
Navicular disease arises in the first instance from inflammation of the 
navicular bone, or of the cartilage on the under surface of this bone. This 
inflammation often spreads to the thin lubricating membrane between the 
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