nd of the sensitive laminae of the bars and the wall. With no outlet below,
the pus formation increases until finally it finds its way out of the hoof
by emerging at the coronet.

This in some instances it may do by confining its necrotic influences
solely to the sensitive laminae of the wall, in which case, if a dependent
orifice is quickly made at the sole, the injury to the laminae is soon
repaired by the healthy tissue remaining.

In other cases, however, the necrosis has spread deeper. Caries of the
os pedis, of the lateral ligaments of the pedal-joint, or of the lateral
cartilages, is a result. When this occurs the exuding discharge from the
coronet becomes thinner and more putrescent, and its feel, when rubbed
between the fingers, sometimes gritty with minute fragments of broken-up
bone. Here, unless operative measures prevent it, necrosis soon spreads
deeper still. The deeper portions of the os pedis become affected. The
capsular ligament of the joint is penetrated by the suppurative process,
and a condition of septic arthritis results. The cavity of the joint
becomes more or less tensely distended, according to the amount of drainage
present, which in this case is almost nil, with matter in a state of
putrescence. As a consequence, the surrounding ligaments become softened
and yield, and the articular surfaces displaced. The articular cartilages
also suffer, become necrotic in patches, and frequently wholly destroyed.
The end result is one of anchylosis of the joint and permanent lameness.

_Prognosis_.--With the ordinary dry corn a return to the normal may nearly
always be looked for. Similarly, with moist corn, and even with careful
treatment of the suppurating variety, the same favourable termination may
be looked for and promised.

What cannot so safely be assured is that a relapse will not occur. In other
words, the extent of the injury, no matter how serious, does not often
offer anything that cannot be overcome by Nature and careful surgery; but
the conformation of the animal does. A vicious predisposing conformation
once there is there always, and although the injury resulting from it may
easily give way to correct treatment, the same injury is bound to re-occur
when the animal is again put to work.

Although with care suppurating corn, like other cases of suppuration
within the hoof, may yield to treatment, the owner of the animal should,
nevertheless, be warned that the condition is a serious one,