96 THE CURATIVE TREATMENT OF CANKER. 
German veterinary surgeons, from which I have myself 
derived advantages. 
“ Under the denomination of canker or carcinoma of the foot, 
I understand that disease of it which is characterised by 
vegetations of a carcinomatous aspect, be it of the frog or 
sole, or both ; and I look upon such disease as constitutional. 
And many observations have likewise induced me to believe 
the disease hereditary as well, an opinion prevalent with many 
breeders in my part of the country. 
“ In my first years of practice I treated many cases of 
canker very successfully by incision , followed up by dressings, 
applied nicely with pressure, never neglecting internal treat- 
ment as well. This mode of treatment, however, requires 
much time, particularly when more than one foot is affected, 
and when they require to be successively operated on. 
“It was not until 1845 that a curative treatment, recom- 
mended in the Veterinary Gazette, published by the Professors 
of the Veterinary College of Carlsruhe, attracted my attention. 
It was said to have been practised with success at Stuttgart. 
It consisted in destroying the fungous vegetations with a 
highly caustic liquor composed as follows : 
“ Take of Arsenic, 
Caustic Potash, of each^ ^j. 
“ Dissolve in Jij of water, in a flask hermetically closed, and, 
when dissolved, add 3j of aloes finely powdered. The caustic 
potash should be pure. 
u This application is made to the fungous excresences after 
the parts diseased have been properly pared out and wiped 
clean and dry. Should the caustic excite much pain, a 
pediluvium of cold water is recommended. Purgatives 
should be given. From my own trial of this treatment, I 
should say that the caustic, being very violent, ought to be 
used with caution. 
“ The new method of treatment I have lately employed, with 
a success that has exceeded my expectation, is that recom- 
mended by M. Eichbaum, District Veterinarian in Prussia, 
published by him in the J ournal of the Veterinary School of 
Berlin. 
“ M. Eichbaum regards canker as a constitutional disease : 
he says it arises from internal causes. This new method of 
treatment consists, — 1 st, in correcting the destructive quality 
of the secreted ichor ; and, 2dly, especially of suppressing the 
ichorous secretion. This he effects as follows : — He first pre- 
pares and cleanses the cankered foot, taking away all the 
diseased parts he can without making the foot bleed. He 
