of the horn of
the foot of an ox occurred through the passing over it of the wheel of
a heavily-laden cart. It is therefore quite conceivable that the same
accident might occur to the horse. As a matter of fact, we find one case on
record where one-half of the horny box was thus removed.[A]

[Footnote A: _Veterinary Record_, vol. xiii., p. 129.]

So far as we are able to gather, it is more a result of imprisonment of the
shoe than of the foot. It appears, further, to be always a result of the
animal being newly shod, and the clinches firmly secured; so much so that
it would be probable, with imperfectly secured clinches, that the animal
would draw the hoof from the clinches and the shoe rather than the foot
from its horny covering.

Therefore, as the author of one of the cases we shall afterwards relate
suggests, it should be proposed as a preventive that the shoe-nails of
animals regularly engaged in work on the metals should not be clinched in
the regulation manner, but should have their points merely screwed off, and
the nails afterwards rasped level with the wall.

These cases are particularly interesting as illustrating the rapid manner
in which a new hoof is afterwards formed, and the way in which the exposed
sensitive laminae take their share in adding to, though not forming the bulk
of, the horn of the wall.

From the cases we are able to record it will be seen that this accident
need not be looked upon as fatal, nor the injury itself beyond hope of
repair. Dependent largely upon the temperament of the animal, the amount of
pain that is caused, and the way in which the animal bears it, recovery may
be looked for. Even from the very commencement of the accident, however,
the pain may be so acute and the animal so violent with it that slaughter
becomes necessary.

_Treatment_.--This consists in applying an antiseptic and sedative dressing
to the injured parts (for example, Carbolized Oil and Tincture of Opium,
equal parts) and afterwards bandaging.

From the only data we are able to work on, it appears that this dressing
should be repeated daily, the bandage being removed, each time, the
foot well bathed in warm water, and the dressing and bandage afterwards
replaced. On first sight, it would appear that once cleansed and bandaged
the dressings might be left _in situ_ for several days. Seeing, however,
that suppuration, if once set up, would add further to the intense pain the
animal is already suffering,