THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXIV, 
No. 283. 
JULY 1851. 
Third Series, 
No. 43. 
LAMENESS IN HORSES. 
By William Percivall, M.R.C.S. and V.S. 
[Continued from page 247.] 
Treatment of Canker. 
IN accordance with these views*, canker would appear rather 
to consist in disease of the keratogeneous structure than in any 
change of the deeper-seated tissues. The secretion of horn is 
superseded by the production of fungus , and this fungus-generat- 
ing action is so predominant in the secretory apparatus, that, when 
once established, the morbid secretion continues for a length of 
time, in spite of every effort on our part to suppress or correct it. 
While the manifestation of hypertrophic action in this exuber- 
ance of production is too plain to be denied, there is at the same 
time evidently at work some anormal action which nothing short 
of the actual destruction of the orgasm — and not always even 
that — is found to eradicate, so as to re-establish the secretion of 
sound horn. M. Bouley’s “ chronic inflammation” will not by 
itself account for the phenomena of canker, no more than it will 
for the obstinacy the morbid function sets up against treatment. 
This explains why, as experience shews, no radical or perma- 
nent cure of canker can be brought about without the use of 
caustics or escharotics, coupled with the aid of the knife or the 
actual cautery as occasion may require. And with all this, 
time will be necessary to bring about sound and healthy secre- 
tion. So great and paramount is the morbid disposition to 
generate fungus, that the morbid productions will require being 
destroyed, again and again, down to their very roots, before 
sound horn can be induced to spring up in their places. 
Were we not taught this harsh practice by experience, or 
could we find any more lenient mode of procedure, such mild 
treatment would turn out not less acceptable to ourselves than 
comparatively painless and pleasant to our patient. But we 
* See The Veterinarian for May, pp. 246-7. 
VOL. XXIV. 3 D 
