of.

Expansion of the horny box is thus brought about, while at the same time
the semicircular groove at the toe is made deep enough to allow of the
escape of the exudate.

If thought wise by the operator, the two pieces of horn _a_ and _b_ may be
isolated, and the exudate given exit by making the fourth groove in the
position of the dotted lines in Fig. 120--that is to say, at the lowermost
portion of the sensitive structures. By this means the sole will be left
intact.

[Illustration: FIG. 121.--LOWER SURFACE OF FOOT SHOWING POSITION OF THE
GROOVES MADE IN THE TREATMENT OF LAMINITIS.]

Fuller instruction for making the grooves and the instruments required will
be found described in Section C of Chapter X.

The animal should be afterwards shod, and the bearing on the portions
_a_ and _b_ of the wall removed. Almost immediate relief is afforded the
patient.

_Recorded Cases_.--1. 'On the evening of September 28 last, I was called
rather hurriedly to attend a posting-horse which had just arrived from a
twenty-one miles' journey, and was said to be "very ill." I lost no time in
proceeding to the spot, and found my patient "very ill" indeed. No need for
long consideration as to diagnosis; the symptoms showed at once that I had
an uncommonly severe case of acute founder before me. On examination I
found the pulse was 120, the respirations 100, and the thermometer 106 deg. F.
The poor brute could not move, the fore-legs were well out before, and the
hind-legs thrown back behind; in fact, he was, as one might say, propping
himself up with his four legs!

'On examining his feet, I discovered what I had never either seen or heard
of before--namely, _blood freely oozing out_ at the coronet of all four
feet; if anything, the hind-feet were the worst, and, showing that this
bloody discharge at coronets had commenced during progression and before
he was stabled, the inside of the thighs were all shotted over with blood,
which had been thrown up by his feet while he was trotting or walking. He
was completely soaked all over with perspiration.

'My prognosis could not well be otherwise than unsatisfactory. I resolved,
however, to do all I could to relieve the poor suffering brute. As a matter
of course, jugular phlebotomy was utterly impracticable; so, to relieve the
pressure in the feet, I had him (after, with extreme difficulty, removing
the shoes) bled, or rather opened, at all four toes, and hot poultices
applied. On ope