Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1870 — Injuries to the Horse’s Foot. [ARTICLE]

Injuries to the Horse’s Foot.

The foot is often severely injured from punctured wounds, produced by picking up a nail whilst traveling, or from treading upon some other sharp substance. The sole is penetrated, and the sensitive parts injured. The part most liable to puncture is the frog, and the line of union between the bars and the frog. A short time since we had an opportunity of seeing a case of puncture, where a nail entered close to the side of the frog and passed through the teDdon, and grazed the edge of the coffin bone. The inflammatory action, following such a serious wound, caused death the fifth day after the accident. The danger to be apprehended will greatly depend on the situation of the puncture. If near the coffin joint, acute inflammation of that important structure is very likely to supervene, and in some cases the joint is punctured, allowing the stynovia to escape. Horses are also fifej quently injured in shoeing, from the nails hrough accident or carelessness being driven too far up and injuring the sensitive lamin®; or even when the nail does not actually touch the sensitive part, it may come in close contact with it, and when the horse puts his feet forcibly on the ground, the highly vascular parts are bruised, and inflammation is set up, which soon terminates in suppuration. In the treatment of these injuries the offending agent must be removed, and in most cases the sole should be thinned; and when matter has formed, a free opening must be given through the sole. The foot may be placed in a bucket of hot water several times a day, when the pain is great, and immediately afterwards aply a poultice. In cases where the constitutional fever is great, a good dose of purgative medicine should be given. When the pain is removed, the horse may be shod, and great benefit may be derived from the use of a stout leather sole, with a stuffling of tar and tow. —Canada Farmer. Evert Saturday.— The Mystery of Edwin Drood is continued in the number for July 18, with illustration. Much otber choice reading matter is given. There are four excellent full-page illustrations—The Rag-Picker; A the Ascot Race; A Gypsy Encampment, and a picture of Kangaroo Hunting—and a large doublepage engraving of Mr. Gladstone’s Cabinet in Connell. Published by Fiei.ds, Osgood & Co., 124 Tremont street, Boston, at SS.CO per annum ; 10 cents for single number.