DISEASES AND INJURIES OF THE FOOT. 
409 
difference in the general appearance, healthfulness and suscepti¬ 
bility to disease among horses feet as there are in different types 
of horses. 
Thrush .—The first of the diseases I will mention is 
“thrush,” an affection characterized by the presence of a dark- 
colored, foetid secretion in and around the frog, sometimes very 
slight, at other times very abundant, attacking and destroying 
the tissues, causing sloughing of the frog, and accompanied by 
more or less pain, causing lameness. This affection is nearly 
always caused by neglecting to keep the feet in a cleanly con¬ 
dition, allowing animals to stand in damp and dirty places, es¬ 
pecially in urine and manure, as is often the case, although some 
horses will become affected without being exposed to such 
exciting causes. Why it is hard to say. The treatment con¬ 
sists in perfect cleanliness, paring away all ragged and diseased 
parts, washing the parts thoroughly with a solution of potas¬ 
sium permanganate, or hydrogen peroxide, then filling the 
cracks with calomel, kept in place by pledgets of oakum or cot¬ 
ton, and repeating as often as necessary. 
Corns .—Another very common trouble is “ corns.” They are 
the result of bruises, involving the structures of the sensitive 
sole in the triangular space between the bars and wall at 
the heel of the forward foot and are nearly always caused by im¬ 
proper shoeing. They always cause more or less soreness and 
lameness, and sometimes suppuration occurs when the exciting 
cause has been severe and prolonged. The radical cure is in the 
shoeing, and if this is properly done corns would be rare indeed.. 
To relieve them when present, pare away the horn to relieve the 
pressure and poultice the foot to reduce fever and thereby relieve 
soreness. 
Nail Pricks .—These vaiy from the slight injury which re¬ 
quires little or no attention to those of such a serious nature, 
that death often supervenes, owing to the excessive local alter¬ 
ations and the sufferings accompanying it. The severity of the 
injury depends partly upon the nature of the foreign body enter¬ 
ing the tissues, but principally upon the particular part or 
