If a calk wound has been inflicted, the adjoining surface structures are freed of hair and the parts cleansed in the usual manner, (which in wounds recently inflicted, should be done without employing quantities of water) and after painting the wound surface with tincture of iodin and saturating its depths with the same agent, the wound is cleansed, if it contains filth, by means of a small curette. By using a small and sharp curette, one is enabled to cleanse the average wound quickly and almost painlessly.
In such cases, equal parts of tincture of iodin and glycerin are employed. The wound is filled with this preparation and a quantity of it is poured upon a suitable piece of aseptic gauze or cotton and this is contacted with the wound. The extremity is carefully bandaged and this dressing is left in position for forty-eight hours unless there occurs, in the meanwhile, evidence of profuse suppuration—which is unusual.
One is to be guided as to the progress made by the degree of lameness present. If little or no lameness develops, it is reasonable to expect that infection has been checked; that the wound is dry and redressing every second day is sufficiently frequent.
Where cases progress favorably, recovery (unless infectious arthritis results) should occur in from ten days to three weeks. Where extensive sub-coronary fistulae result, either from lack of prompt or proper attention, the condition is then one requiring a radical operation to establish drainage and to disinfect if possible, the suppurating tissues.
Corns.
Etiology and Occurrence.—In horses, because of a tendency toward contraction of the heel in some subjects, together with work on hard roads and pavements, where the feet become dry and brittle, and because of neglect of the matter of shoeing, this affection is of frequent occurrence. Unshod horses are rarely affected. If conformation is faulty and too much weight is borne on the inner or the outer quarter, and the hoof wall at the quarter tends to turn inward, corns are usually present. They occur more frequently on the inner quarters of the front feet, though the outer quarters are occasionally also affected and in rare instances corns are found at the toes. They do not often affect the hind feet.
As soon as injury by pressure, such as is supposed to cause the formation of corns, is brought to bear on the sensitive sole, an extravasation of blood occurs. In time when the cause remains active, this discoloration is evident in the substance of the insensitive sole and consists in a red or yellowish spot which varies in size—this is ordinarily termed dry corn.
In some cases where infection of this extravasation of blood and serum occurs, instead of desiccation and discoloration of the insensitive parts, there is, in time, manifested a circumscribed area of destruction of the insensitive sole and the abscess may, where no provision for drainage exists, burrow between sensitive and insensitive laminae and perforate the tissues at the coronet. If the suppurative material discharges readily by way of the sole, no disturbance of the heel or quarters occurs above the hoof.
Symptomatology.—A supporting-leg-lameness characterizes this condition; and this lameness in most instances varies in degree with the amount of distress which is occasioned by pressure upon the inflamed parts. By an examination of the sole after having removed all dirt, and exposed the horny sole to view, no difficulty is encountered in locating the cause of the trouble.
Treatment.—Before suppuration has taken place and in the cases where suppuration does not occur, the horse-shoer's method of paring out the diseased tissue affords a means of temporary relief; but unless frequently done, in many cases, lameness results within about three weeks after such treatment has been given. In other instances temporary relief is not to be gotten in this manner for any great length of time or until a more rational mode of treatment becomes necessary so that the subject may experience a cessation of the inconvenience or distress.