[Illustration:  FIGS. 48, 49, 50, 51.—­ILLUSTRATING LIEUTENANT-COLONEL NUNN’S METHOD OF APPLYING A POULTICE TO THE FOOT.]

’The advantages of this method of fastening have been found to be:  (1) It does not chafe the skin; (2) if properly applied it has never been known to come undone; (3) it is the only way we know that a poultice can be satisfactorily applied to a mule’s hind-foot; (4) horses can be exercised when the poultice is on the foot, which is almost impossible with the ordinary leather boot; (5) the sacking or canvas does not cut through so quickly.’

[Illustration:  FIGS. 52, 53.—­TWO FORMS OF POULTICE-BOOT.]

A further method of applying the poultice is by using one of the poultice-boots made for that purpose (see Figs. 52 and 53).

These have an objection.  They are apt to be allowed to get extremely dirty, and so, by carrying infective matter from the foot of one animal to that of another, undo the good that the warmth of the poultice is bringing about.  The advantage of the ordinary sacking or canvas is that it may be cast aside after the application of each poultice.  Where the boot is kept clean, however, it will save a great deal of time and trouble to the attendant.

While on the subject of poulticing, it is well to remark that in many cases it may be more advantageous to supply the necessary warmth and moisture to the foot by keeping it immersed in a narrow tub of water maintained at the required temperature.  By this means the warmth is carried further up the limb (sometimes an important point), and the water can more conveniently be medicated with whatever is required than can the poultice.  In fact, it is the author’s general practice, where the attendants can be induced to take the necessary pains, to always advise this latter method.

[Illustration:  FIG. 54.—­SWAB FOR APPLYING MOISTURE TO THE FOOT.]

Where a dressing is relied upon by some practitioners on account of the warmth it gives, others, even in identical cases, will depend upon the effects of cold.  This may be applied by means of what are called ‘swabs.’  In their simplest form swabs may consist only of hay-bands or several layers of thick bandage bound round the foot and coronet, and kept cool by having water constantly poured upon them.  In many cases the form of swab depicted in Fig. 54 will be found more convenient.

When only one foot is required to be dressed, and a water-supply is available, by far the preferable method is to attach one end of a length of rubber tubing to the water-tap, and fasten the other just above the coronet, allowing the water to trickle slowly over the foot.  In cases where a forced water-supply is unobtainable, and the case warrants the extra trouble, much may be done with a medium-sized cask of water placed somewhere over the animal, and the rubber tubing connected with that.

Where the dressing is desired to be kept applied to the sole and frog only, there is no method more satisfactory than the shoe with plates.