CORNS
,—as they are called, would be much more properly denominated bruises, and are of infinite trouble to those who implicitly submit to the Quixotic schemes and manual dexterity of the SMITH; who, with a secundum artem expedition, instantly renders the remedy worse than the disease. As his principal province is the art of cutting, he has no sooner the drawing-knife in his hand, than he is at "the bottom:" his great object is the destruction of parts; and he piques himself upon doing more mischief in two minutes, than Nature can restore in three months. Impressed with no idea but instrumental extirpation, he proceeds to excavate the sole of the foot, till, having reached the membrane, a protrusion ensues, and leaves him a happy opening for the bar-shoe, hot-stopping, a daily dressing, and the collateral considerations which constitute a sum total by no means necessary.
Corns mostly originate in the shoe having swerved a little from its proper seat upon the wall or crust of the hoof, and becoming, as it were, indented upon the outer sole, occasions a bruise, appearing to have ramifications of extravasated fluid in very fine and oblique directions: the shoe being permitted to press upon this part, (become irritable by the injury it has sustained,) produces pain and impediment to action. Upon the discovery that such has taken place, the remedy is as simple as the cause by which it was occasioned. The shoe being carefully removed, take from the surface of what is miscalled a corn, just enough to leave the part free from pressure by the shoe; moisten once externally with a few drops of oil of vitriol, or simple aqua fortis; and the operative smith, farrier, or veterinary surgeon, will not find a plea for the devastation he is generally so ready to promote.