PRIOR OR WOUND IN THE SOIiE OR CRUST. 
175 
bone, a puncture may be attended with serious conse¬ 
quences, as well as a wound in the joint which unites 
the navicular-bone with the coffin-bone. If a wound in¬ 
flicted in this situation is neglected, the animal may be 
rendered useless for life. In short, injuries of the foot 
require the utmost skill to examine their precise nature, 
as well as the manner in which they ought to be 
treated. 
In searching for a wound, it is not uncommon for the 
smith to cut away an unnecessary portion of the horn from 
the bottom of the crust of the sole, and thus leave no hold 
for the nail of the shoe. In such cases it has frequently 
taken months before the horny substance was of sufficient 
substance to hold the nails. 
When it becomes necessary to remove any portion of the 
horny sole in consequence of a wound, or if separation has 
taken place through suppuration, then the injured or 
wounded portion of the crust must be entirely removed, as 
the dead parts of the horn will never unite with that which 
is living. Then the fleshy sole which has been left exposed 
must be carefully touched with chloride of antimony, and 
, some soft and dry tow or lint laid on it. But if there are 
inflammatory symptoms, it will be necessary to apply a 
poultice to the entire sole. So quickly is the horny sub¬ 
stance secreted, that on the following day a thin pellicle 
will be found covering the whole, or part of the portion that 
has been stripped of the crust. If it presents a healthy 
appearance, then it should be very slightly touched with 
caustic, so as to energize it. But if there are any symptoms 
of proud-flesh shooting through it, then it must be again 
subjected to an application of chloride of antimony and 
tow placed over it as before. In a few days the whole 
surface will be invested with a horny crust. If there is 
