nd, and the
thinning cautiously proceeded with until either small, pin-point
haemorrhages denote that healthy sensitive structures have been reached, or
a sudden flow of pus indicates that the injury has been definitely located.

While the symptoms remain much about the same, the diagnosis of pricks
received in the forge, as compared with those occurring in the natural
manner, is easy. The animal starts to the forge quite sound, and returns,
perhaps, with a slight limp. The slight limp in two days' time becomes a
decided lameness, and no doubt remains as to what has occurred. The mere
fact of the lameness arising immediately after a visit to the forge should
be sufficient in the majority of cases to lead one to a correct diagnosis.

Where the opinion has been formed that a prick has been received, then the
shoe should be removed.

This operation should always be superintended by the veterinary surgeon
himself. After the removal of the clinches, the nails should be drawn one
at a time with the pincers, and carefully examined. Often the offending
nail may thus be picked out by observing upon it blood-stains, or the
moisture from inflammatory exudate or from pus. Further inflammation will
also be gathered by occasionally meeting with a nail that has split.

At this stage, too, the veterinary surgeon should have noticed whether or
not the smith has previously sent the animal home with what is known as a
'draw back.' He has discovered, immediately after he has done it, that he
has pricked the animal. He has then withdrawn the nail, and either sent the
animal back with that nail altogether missing from the set in the shoe, or
with the hole filled up with a stump.

The shoe once off, the holes made by the nails in the horn should be
minutely examined for the presence of haemorrhage, inflammatory fluid, or
pus exuding from them, and also for evidence of their correct placing in
the foot. Should fluid matter issue from any one of them, or should it be
deemed that one has approached too near the inner margin of the white
line, more especially if tenderness exists around it, that hole should be
followed up with a 'searcher' or small drawing-knife until diagnosis is
certain.

_Complications_.--Before proceeding to discuss the complications that may
arise in the case of pricked foot, we may call to mind that the anatomy of
the parts teaches us that the most serious position in which a punctured
wound can occur is at the centre