426 
TREATMENT OF SANDCRACK. 
I intend the front or toe to show a foot with some three 
months’ growth after the treatment. At the quarters it is 
intended to represent a foot recently treated ; for the fissures 
are up to the coronet. On one side a nail is left 
loosely driven so that more clearly may be seen the mode of 
driving it. 
The plan suggested itself to me in the year 1832, since 
which period I have operated on many hundreds of cases, 
indeed I may say thousands, and invariably with success. 
My practice before operating is first to poultice the foot 
to abate the inflammation and lameness, and when requisite 
to dress with diluted nitric acid ; as, for instance, in those 
cases where there is any fungous growth existing; and on no 
account to close the crack, if so be there is fungoid matter, or 
even dirt in it, for this would produce increased lameness, 
and set up much constitutional disturbance, which sometimes 
is not very easy to allay. I now take a small gouge, or the 
crooked end of a drawing-knife, and cut on one side of the 
crack a sufficient depth so as to get a firm but not too deep 
a hold, and then drive the nail directly across the crack, 
hammering it well home, and clinching it : the head of the 
nail will thus fit into the hole where the horn has been cut 
out. The projecting portion of the head of the nail is be 
rasped off. All the horn is then carefully cut away transversely 
at the coronet , and thereby all communication between the 
new growth and the fractured portion is effectually cut off. 
The denuded part is dressed with nitric acid, or it may 
be touched with the hot iron. Rub a little tar (in summer 
pitch) over the part so as to fill up the crack, and bind tape 
firmly round the foot, directing it to be kept as wet and as 
cool as possible. This is all that is requisite in nineteen cases 
out of twenty. Allow a day or two’s rest, and the horse may 
go to work as usual. 
I recommend a bar-shoe to be employed, giving equal 
pressure on the crust and frog all around. The advantage of 
this is obvious. When a bar-shoe is objected to by the 
owner, which is sometimes the case, I let the plain shoe bear 
upon the heel under the crack. 
I am, my dear sirs, yours. 
To the Editors of the * Veterinarian 
