Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1917-01-17
Punctured Injuries Involve Feet
Most Frequently.
ORlFlCE IS USUALLY small
Produced by Penetration of Sharp
Pointed Substance, Such as Thorn,
Fork, Nail, Etc.-Symptoms
! and Treatm ant.

ment or Agrlculture.)
Punctured wounds of horses are
much more common than others. They
are produced by the penetration of q
sharp or blunt-pointed substance, such
as a thorn, fork, nail, etc, and the
oritice Of these wounds is always
small in proportion to their depth.
They involve the feet most frequently,
next the legs, and often the head and
face from nails protruding through the
stalls and trough. They are also the
most SERIOUS, owing to the difficulty Of
obtaining thorough disinfection and
the lack of attention that they at first
receive. The external wound is so
small that but little or no importance
is attached to it, yet in short time
swelling pain, and acute Inflammation,
often of q serious character, are mani
tested
The most common of the punctured
wounds are those Of the feet. Horses
worked in cities, about iron works,
around building places, etc., are most
liable to get mails in the feet" The
animal treadS upon nails, pieces of
iron, or screws, and forces them into
the soles Of the feet. If the nail, or
whatever it is that has punctured the
foot, is fast in some large or heavy
body, and is withdrawn as the horse
lifts his foot, lameness may last
for only few steps; but unless prop
eriy attended to at once he will be
found in day or two to be very lame
in the injured member. If the foreign
body remains in the foot, he gradually
Crews worse from the time Of pune
:e until the cause is discovered ana
removed. If, when shoeing, nail is
driven into the 'quick" and allowed
to remain, the horse gradually evinces
mere pain from day to day; but If the
nail has at once been removed by the
smith, lameness does not, as a rule,
show itself for some days; or, If the
nail is simply driven ''too Close" not
actually pricking the horse, he may
not show any lameness for a week or
even much longer. Considering how
thin the walls of.Some feet are, the un-
easineSs Of many horses while shoeing,
the ease with which a nail is diverted
from it's course by striking an old
piece of nail left in the wall, or from
the nail itself splitting, the wonder is
not that so many horses are pricked or
nails driven ''too close" but rather
that many more are not SO injured. 1t
is not by any means always careless
ness or ignorance on the part of the
hof>5eShoer that is to account for this
accident.
Productive of Lameness.
From the construction Of the horses
foot (being incased in an imperme-
able, horny box, and from the elas-
ticity of the horn closing the oriice,
punctured wounds of the feet are al
most always productive Of lameness.
Inflammation results, and as there is
no relief afforded by swelling and no
escape for the product of Inflammation,
this matter must and does burrOw be-
tween the sole or wall and the sensitive
parts within it until it generally
opems "betwecn hair and hOof." 1t
may thus be seen why pain is so much
more severe. why tetanus Qockjaw)
more frequently follows wounds OF the
feet, and why, from the extensive, or
1T times complete separation and cast
ing" of the hoof, these wounds must
always be regarded with grave appre-
hCnsion.
Symptoms and Treatment.
A practice which, if never deviated
fronl-that of picking up each foot,
cleaning the soie,. aad thoroughly ex-
amining the foot each and every time
the horse comes into the stable-will
reduce to the minimum the serious
consequences of punctured wounds OF
the feet. If the wound has resulted
from pricking, lameness follows soon
after .shoeing; if from the nails being
driven too close, it usually appears
from four to five days or week after
wards. Always inquire as to the time
of shoeing and examine the shoe care
fully, and see whether it has been par
italy pulled and the horse stepped
back upon some of the nails Of the
clip. Shooting pain is caused by
these wounds; the horse Is seen to
raise and lower the limb or hold it'
from the ground altogether; often he
points the foot, fexes the leg and
knnckles at the fetlock. Swelling OF
the fetlock and back tendons also fire.
,quently is seen, and is liable to mislead
lus. The foot must be examined care
fully, and this cannot be done prop
Ierly without removing the shoe. The
nails should be drawn separately and
carefully examined. II there Is no es-
cape of pus from the nail holes, or
liz the nails themselves are not moist.
continue examination Of the foot by
carefully pinching or tapping 1t at all
narts With 8 little practice the spot