30 
SYMPTOMS AND CUKE OF 
whatever; but the treatment should commence with the soothing 
system, viz. the abatement of inflammation, by abstracting blood 
locally , until the system is affected generally . 
Six quarts of blood to be drawn at one operation from an 
artery encircling the lower edge and toe of the coffin bone, the 
hoof having been prepared as follows : The sole to be pared till 
small specks of blood begin to appear at every part; the bars to be 
entirely removed ; and those channels or commissures between 
the bars and the frog to be excavated with a narrow drawing- 
knife to the quick, from end to end; the projecting part of the 
crust, which forms the ground surface, to be somewhat levelled 
with the rasp from toe to heels; but the shortening of the toe 
and lowering of the heels to be deferred till another stage of the 
treatment. 
The next process w 7 hich I have to recommend, i am apprehen¬ 
sive many practitioners may view as a most unwarrantable viola¬ 
tion of nature. 
It consists in the entire removal of crust or wall at the inside 
heel, and of the bar adjoining, with rasp and drawing-knife, as 
near to the laminee as possible, without drawing blood, and ex¬ 
tending this excision along the quarter, according to the urgency 
of the case, and the period of time allotted by the owner for treat¬ 
ment and rest, thereby leaving' the inside quarter isolated from 
the other parts of the hoof. The direct object in view for sacri¬ 
ficing a portion of hoof so slow of growth being to unfetter the 
inside heel of the coffin bone by removing lateral pressure from 
that wing of the bone; but, after all, it must be admitted, thatit is 
only the deprivation of an offending body; and I am urged to do 
this, not merely because I know it will grow again, but because 
I also know it will be my own fault if it is not reproduced in such 
an expanded direction as mainly to contribute towards the cure. 
However, I generally find it prudent not to penetrate into the 
quarter more than about half an inch anterior to the heel of the 
coffin bone, terminating the scalp abruptly, which extends from 
the upper part to the basis of the crust in a straight line, preserv¬ 
ing all the other parts of the quarter in nearly their natural sub¬ 
stance ; but this extensive sacrifice of crust may be quite uncalled 
for in manv of the recent cases of lameness. 
A bar shoe bearing on the outside quarter, and slightly on the 
frog, is now to be fitted to the foot upon the unfettered or side- 
nail plan; but previous to its application the artery at the inside 
toe to be opened, and the blood drawn as described; the shoe to 
be then applied, and the foot and coronet immersed in some cold 
emollient paste. 
Haifa dose of purging physic should be given, and the horse 
