the prick is not so readily apparent. The nail or other
object has penetrated and afterwards withdrawn itself. The natural
elasticity of the horn, especially that of the frog, causes it to contract
upon the puncture, and to largely obliterate the hole made. What,
therefore, may look to be but a simple injury to the horn alone may
in reality be the only evidence of a stab complicating the sensitive
structures. It thus behoves the veterinary surgeon to follow up and
carefully cut out any unnatural-looking mark in the horn, more especially
if the horn is discoloured, or if blood is extravasated into its fibres, or
there is moisture exuding from the part.

In some cases of this description the knife in the act of paring comes into
contact with the cause of the trouble. Sometimes this is a nail, sometimes
a sharp and small piece of flint, so deeply penetrated as to have become
quite buried. When met with in this manner, however, the foreign body is
more often than not a splinter of wood deeply embedded in the cleft of the
frog or in the frog itself.

The fact that multiple punctures may occur should here be remembered, and
the remainder of the inferior surface of the foot thinly pared.

On withdrawal of the foreign object blood may immediately follow. Should
the former have been fixed in position for some time, however, pus is
nearly always found at the bottom of the wound. As a rule, its removal is
comparatively easy, but one case recalls itself to the author's mind in
which the extraction was a matter of considerable difficulty. The offending
object was a large, flat-headed nail, some 2 inches long. This was driven
fast into the os pedis, and necessitated the employment of a pair of
pincers and the exertion of some amount of force to move it from its
position.

In this connection it must be remembered that the penetrating object
sometimes breaks off after entering the foot. The fact that this
occasionally happens only serves to give point to the advice we have
previously rendered--that every stab should be carefully probed, and its
exact condition and depth ascertained.

In those cases where percussion has led to the positive opinion that pus
really exists, then the exploration must be most searching. There may, or
may not, be a suspicious-looking mark to work on. In the latter case, the
veterinary surgeon must not be content with confining his paring operations
to one spot. The sole should be carefully thinned all rou