PUNCTURED FOOT, ETC. 
653 
some time ; after that the wound was dressed with digestive 
ointment, and the foot inclosed in a large poultice, which 
was ordered to be kept well bathed with hot water several 
times a day. The diet to consist chiefly of bran mashes, so 
as to prepare her for a dose of purging medicine the next day. 
October 10th. — The animal seemed a little easier. Dressed 
the foot as yesterday, and gave her three drachms of aloes, 
with the like quantity of gentian powder. 
11th. — Bowels acting. Repeat the dressing as before. 
This treatment I pursued daily, and she seemed to be gra- 
dually improving until the 27th of October, when she ap- 
peared to be in more pain, and a swelling presented itself 
round the coronet, with a disposition to break out on the 
outside of the foot, which rather surprised me, as the nail 
had penetrated on the inside. I had the foot pared out thin, 
and let out a little more bloody serum from the wound. 
The foot was again soaked in hot water, and dressed as 
before. The animals appetite up to this time had been 
tolerably good. 
30th. — 1 was sent for in great haste, the messenger saying 
the mare was dying. I immediately went, and found her in 
great pain, and bathed in perspiration ; the respiration quick 
and laborious, and the countenance very anxious. She was 
standing on the lame foot. This I thought no good omen, 
and I pronounced the case to be hopeless. She being, how- 
ever, a young mare, the owner was desirous that I should 
continue the treatment a little longer. I therefore had her 
suspended in slings ; and, after soaking the foot well in hot 
water, dressed the wound with a mixture of opium and 
digestive ointment, and inclosed the whole in a poultice as 
before. Restricted the diet to mashes. 
31st. — Dressed the foot as before, and gave her three 
drachms of aloes in ball. She seemed easier, and there was 
a more healthy discharge from the bottom of the foot. 
November 1st. — Purging freely. Repeated the dressings. 
Whilst I was there she dropped down suddenly in the slings, 
and slept soundly for about a quarter of an hour. She then 
as suddenly raised herself up and began to feed. This she 
did every day after I had dressed her foot, and sometimes 
before I had finished doing it, she would drop suddenly 
down in her slings, and sleep for about a quarter of an hour, 
and then rouse herself and begin to feed. Her appetite was 
tolerably good even now, and continued to be so till within a 
day or two of her death. 
It is needless to describe the treatment which I pursued 
further. She seemed one day to be better, and another day 
