he greatest or
discover the delicate line or scar left at the point of entrance of the
foreign body. The entire sole is then to be thinned, after which we are
carefully to cut down upon the point where pain is greatest upon
pressure, and, finally, through the sole at this spot. When the matter
has escaped, the sole, so far as it was undermined by pus, is to be
removed. The foot must now be poulticed for one or two days and
afterwards dressed with a compress of oakum saturated with carbolic-acid
solution or other antiseptic dressing.

If we discover a nail or other object in the foot, the principal
direction, after having removed the offending body, is to cut away the
sole, in a funnel shape, down to the sensitive parts beneath. This is
imperative, and if a good free opening has been made and is maintained
for a few days, and hot fomentations and antiseptic dressings applied,
the cure is mostly easy, simple, quick, and permanent. The horse should
be shod with a leather sole under the shoe, first of all applying tar
and oakum to prevent any dirt from entering the wound. In some instances
nails may puncture the flexor tendons, the coffin bone, or enter the
coffin joint. Such injuries are always serious, their recovery slow and
tedious, and the treatment so varied and difficult that the services of
a veterinarian will be necessary.

PUNCTURED WOUNDS OF JOINTS, OR OPEN JOINTS.

These wounds are more or less frequent. They are always serious, and
often result in anchylosis (stiffening) of the joint or the death of the
animal. The joints mostly punctured are the hock, fetlock, or knee,
though other joints may, of course, suffer this injury. As the symptoms
and treatment are much the same for all, only the accident as it occurs
in the hock joint will be described. Probably the most common mode of
injury is from the stab of a fork, but it may result from the kick of
another horse that is newly shod, or in many other ways. At first the
horse evinces but slight pain or lameness. The owner discovers a small
wound scarcely larger than a pea, and pays but little attention to it.
In a few days, however, the pain and lameness become excessive; the
horse can no longer bear any weight upon the injured leg; the joint is
very much swollen and painful upon pressure; there are well-marked
symptoms of constitutional disturbance--quick pulse, hurried breathing,
high temperature, 103 deg. to 106 deg. F., the appetite is lost, thirst is
pre