Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-03-03
Skin Diseases.-Cracked Heels.

Cracked, or chapped heels, are due
to cold, wet and dirt, perhaps chiefly
the local injury which follows evap-
Grafton from the surface after wash
ing the legs.
Beside the local influences, the
state of the constitution must be
taken into account; and there is fur
ther, good reason to believe that some
horses have a peculiar condition of
the skin of the heels which predis-
poses them to the action of the excit
ing cause Of the disease.
Chapped heels occur in two distinct
forms, which may, for the sake of
convenience, be divided into acute
and chronic. The acute form of the
disease is generally seen among
horses in full condition. Want of
exercise and abundance of food are
likely to render the system gross, as
the carter will term it, and under
such circumstances any tritiing wound
is likely to assume an unhealthy
character; if the horse be now ex-
posed to the causes which are ordin-
arily concerned in the production Of
chapped heels, the result will be that
the cracks of fisure will present
red, Angry" appearance, the edges
of the skin will be swollen and mark
ed with an inhammatory blush, and
considerable heat and pain will be
present. Sometimes the local excite.
ment is so excessive that the system
sympathizes with the state of the part
and some amount IF fever is present.
The acute stage Of cracked heels
should always be carefully distin-
guished from the common form of
the disease, because the usual RENE
dies-astringing ointments and To-
tions--are exceedingly injurious to
an intlamed part; and 1t commonly
happens that the attendant, looking
upon all cracks in the heels as identi-
cal in nature, tries his specifics in the
first instance, and does not discover
his error until the horse becomes cx-
cessively lame under the treatment.
Generally it is desirable to avoid
using warm-water dressings or poui-
tees to the heels of horses, on ac-
count Of the tendency to a relaxed
condition of the numerous follicles
which exist in that part, and which
are always ready to pour out an
abundance of secretion on the slight
est provocation; but when the skin is
highly inhamcd, it is absolutely ne
cessary to apply fermentation in the
first instance, and afterwards poul-
tice of oatmeal in which little palm
oil has been mixed may be kept On
for about IL hours; the heels should
then be again bathed with warm
water, and dried with a soft CLOTH
by this time ii may be expected that
the inflammation will have subsidized,
and the heels will be in condition to
benefit by the application of a lini-
ment, composed of one part solution
of diacetate of lead, with eight parts
OF glycerino, This compound is
soothing i'll its action, and tends to
keep the skin in a pliablc state, and
at the same time is sufficient stringent
to correct the tendency to excessive
secretion from the follicles of the
skin. Attention must be given to the
state of the animals constitution
while the treatment which has been
recommended is being steadily APP
piled to the diseased part. In most
cases it will be found necessary to
diminish the ratlons; mashes, and
green food, or roots, should be allow
ed in moderate quantities; exercise
would, under ordinary circumstances,
be beneficial to an animal III high
condition, but the state OF the heels
makes it impossible to move the
horse for some days, and, therefore,
Il purgative medicine becomes n ne
nesslty, and the dose May be repeated
in a week with advantage, if the
horse is in u very plethoric state. No
attempt must be made to put the ami
nal to work until the cracks in the
skin are perfectly healed,--E"4ftSh
Igric"lttrM gazette.