GREASE. 
145 
joint, cracks soon make their appearance ; these increasing 
considerably, present an entire mass of sores, which ulcerate 
very much and assume a fungus-like appearance. 
It is easy to account for the tendency of the heels to 
violent inflammatory attacks, which arises from their being 
so remote from the centre of the circulation, and also their 
constant exposure to extreme variations of temperature. 
In the first place, when standing in the stable the feet 
are subjected to a great degree of heat, from being at all 
times surrounded with straw, and then when the door is 
opened his heels, in many instances, being close to the door, 
are exposed to any cold draught which may rush in ; and 
then he may be taken from the stable to the open air and 
walked through soft and cold mud, after being over-heated, 
and thereby chilled. It is easy then to see that they are con¬ 
stantly liable to inflammatory attacks by being thus exposed 
to sudden transitions from one temperature to another, and 
hence the difficulty of subduing those attacks of inflam¬ 
mation to which the horse is liable. 
Farmers’ and carriers' horses, and indeed those in general 
which are worked in carts, are not so liable to grease as 
riding and carriage-horses, being less exposed to those ex¬ 
treme transitions from heat to cold, or vice versa. And 
the hair, which is usually allowed to grow plentifully at the 
heels, is a great protection against sudden changes. 
Remedies. —The first thing to be done is to wash the heel 
well with soap and warm water, and remove as much oi 
the white scurf as possible. When it has become perfectly 
dry, which should be accomplished by rubbing, then the 
following ointment should be applied until the parts are 
healed : — 
Lard ... 1 ounce, 
Su^ar of lead, well pounded 1 drachm. 
