deviation inwards ('fine-nailing,' as it is termed) is bound to give to the
nail a direction dangerously near the sensitive structures.

The 'pitch' of the nail-holes should be such that the nail is guided more
or less nearly to follow the line of inclination of the wall. Accordingly,
the nail-holes at the toe should be 'pitched' distinctly inwards, the
inward pitch lessening as the quarters are reached, until the hindermost
nail-hole or two is pitched in a direction that is almost perpendicular.

Too great an inward inclination of the nail will, however, give rise to a
bind.

It is probable that 'tight-nailing' results more often from fine punching
of the shoe than from any fault in the pitch of the hole. Inattention to
either detail, however, is apt to bring the mischief about.

Even with a correctly fitted shoe, and with a normal foot, tight-nailing
may occur as a result of sheer carelessness on the part of the smith.

_Symptoms_.--Possibly the animal returns from the forge sound. It is on
the following day, as a rule, that evidence of the injury is given by the
animal coming out from the stable lame. In a well-marked case the foot
is warmer to the hand than its fellow, and percussion over the wall will
sometimes reveal the particular nail that is the cause of the trouble.
Should the shoe be removed, then the fact that the hole the nail has made
is far too close to the sole often points out at once the seat of the
mischief.

_Treatment_. As to whether or not the shoe should be removed is very much a
matter for careful discretion on the part of the veterinary surgeon. Where
the foot is shelly and brittle even a good smith sometimes finds himself
unable to firmly attach the shoe without verging closely on causing the
condition we are now describing. The author has known cases where animals
with feet of this description have almost invariably returned from the
forge, or rather been found the next day, with a suspicion of tenderness.
After the lapse of a day or two this has quite often disappeared, and
nothing in the meantime been done with the foot. Seeing, therefore, that
removal and refitting of the shoe is in this case attended with risk of
breaking away portions of the brittle horn, and so rendering the foot in an
even worse condition than it was before, it is policy to decline to have
the shoes removed unless worse symptoms make their appearance.

In coming to this decision the veterinary surgeon must be guide