THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
99 
the sage knife over the whole extent of the furuncular tumor to a 
height of about two fingers. Compresses of chloroformed oil, 
while it alleviates the pain, are also indicated to soften the wall. 
It frequently becomes necessary to puncture the tumor, but we 
prefer to cauterize it with a pointed iron, following the cauteri¬ 
zation with a poultice of honey with Venice turpentine or 
camphor. Some authors recommend astringent baths, as oak 
bark, or of sulphate of iron. It is often the case that after 
some interval following sloughing of the bourbillon , the wound 
continues to discharge a liquid secretion, which is an evidence 
that there is a tendency to accumulation of matter towards the 
lateral cartilage, or under the wall, in the laminae; or that there 
is some carious spot existing. In the first, if probing horizontally, 
a cavity is detected, it is convincing evidence that a cartilaginous 
quittor is in course of development; in the second case, the 
pressure and collection of the matter increases the inflammation 
of the laminae, separates the wall, and complicates the disease, 
necessitating the operation of the sub-horny quittor. 
The removal of the portion of the hoof which covers the 
lesion, must, however, include more than the purulent center, so 
that the diseased tissues may be well exposed and the suppurative 
process detach them readily. This removal, always proportioned 
to the internal lesions, is made either lengthwise, following the 
direction of the horny fibres, or crosswise. In that case, it will 
attack only a portion of the wall towards its point of union with 
the skin. This latter method, it is true, requires less cutting, 
but it has several quite serious objections and often necessitates 
a second operation. Even in cases where the growth of the 
granulations can be controlled, and where a good return of the 
horse is obtained, the hoof only recuperates its perfect integrity 
by the slow growth downwards of the wall. In some circum¬ 
stances the operation is completed by the removal of a portion, or 
even of the entire mass of the sole, when it is separated from the 
velvety tissue. 
The removal of a portion of the wall must be accomplished 
in the manner which will be indicated for cartilaginous quittor, 
in carefully avoiding the injury of the coronary band and of 
