Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

FOUL IN THE FOOT. 436
a tolerably healthy appearance, a light application of the butyr of
antimony, and that repeated daily, will soon induce a secretion of
new horn ; but if there be a portion of the surface that looks black or
spongy, or the edges of which are separated from the parts around,
here was, probably, the original seat of injury—the life of that portion
has been destroyed and it must be removed— it must slough out. A
poultice of linseed meal, with a fourth part of common turpentine,
must be put on, changed twice' in the day, and continued until the
suppuration is complete. A light application of the butyr should then
follow, or, in favorable cases, a pledget soaked in Friar's balsam should
be placed on the wound, bound tightly down, and daily renewed
the removal of every portion of detached horn, dryness* firm but
equable pressure on the part, and moderate stimulus of the exposed
surface, are -the principles which will carry the practitioner success-
fully through every case of foul in the foot.
Nothing has been said of the fungous excrescence .
between the
claws, in order to remove which, as well as to stimulate the surface
beneath and dispose it to throw out healthy horn, .the cart-rope or
the horse-hair line used to be introduced between the claws, and
drawn backward and forward, inflicting sad and unnecessary torture
on the animal. Tb^ fungus will rarely make its appearance, if the
horn, which had lost its attachment to the living surface beneath, yet
still continued to press upon it, has been carefully removed. If any
fungus appear, it should be levelled by means of a sharp knife, and
the caustic applied. There can be no doubt that pure inflammation,
without wound or mechanical injury, does sometimes attack the feet
of cattle, especially of those that are in high condition. On one day
the beast is perfectly free from lameness, or illness of any kind ; on
the following day probably the foot is swelled, the dates stand apart
from each other, they are unusually hot, and the animal can scarcely
rest any portion of his weight on one foot ; he is continually shifting
his posture, or -he lies down and cannot be induced to rise. If the
beast be neglected, the inflammation and swelling increase until an
ulcer appears at the division of the claws, and which cannot be healed
until a considerable core has sloughed out.
A linseed-meal poultice should be applied to the part as soon as
this inflammation is observed, and it may be easily retained in its
situation by means of a cloth through which two holes have been cut
to admit the claws. This will either abate the inflammation or has-
ten the suppuration ; and as soon as the swelling begins to point, it
should be opened. The poultice must be continued until this sloughing
process has taken place, or the ulcer begins to have a healthy
surface, a little common turpentine having been added to it. Proud
flesh must be subdued, by the caustic ; equal parts of verdigris and
sugar of lead will constitute the best application for this purpose.
Foul and fetid discharge must be corrected by the chloride of lime;
;