THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
207 
advantageous, apd must be frequently repeated. No great length 
of time is usually required for the entire healing of the parts, 
and the animal is soon returned to his work. 
In a few cases, nevertheless, the furuncle becomes compli¬ 
cated with necrosis of the plantar cushion, disease of the os pedis, 
or of the lateral cartilages, the treatment of which must vary ac¬ 
cording to the nature and severity of the lesions. In these in¬ 
stances operations similar to those required in cases of deep 
punctured wounds of the foot or in cartilaginous quittor are 
indicated. 
KERAPHYLLOCELE. 
This name was given by Vatel to a tumor which forms on the in¬ 
ternal surface of the wall of the horse’s foot, at the expense of the 
keraphyllous tissue, which becomes hypertrophied. These tumors 
are sometimes irregularly rounded, at others elongated, but usually 
rounded and again flattened from side to side. They vary in size 
from that of a goose quill to that of the finger, and while in some 
cases they occupy the whole length of the wall from the coronary 
band to the plantar border, in others they only begin at one-third or 
one-half of the height of the wall. The difference in size allows 
a division of keraphyllocele into complete and incomplete. At 
different points the columns are roughened by frequent enlarge¬ 
ments. Sometimes full and formed by a very compact and hard 
tissue, they are, however, sometimes of a fistulous character and 
accompanied by a blackish discharge of an offensive odor. The 
lamellae of the reticular tissue which are nearest to them are gen¬ 
erally wider and thicker than in the normal state. As the tumor 
increases it compresses the lamellated tissue and the correspond¬ 
ing surface of the os pedis, injuring the soft parts, and resting in a 
groove they thus form for their development. 
The causes which give rise to their development are more 
especially cracks of the walls ; though they often follow laminitis 
or supervene upon severe operations on the wall. Yatel claims 
to have observed them after injuries to the hoof resulting from 
the hammering of the foot while being shod. 
The symptoms are very obscure. At first the animal is but 
