During the treatment it will be wise to shoe the animal with a high-heeled shoe. We do not know as yet the full extent of the injury. The navicular bone may be tending to caries; or necrosis of the plantar aponeurosis, all unknown, gradually becoming pronounced. This calls for a relief of tension on the perforans, and is only to be brought about by the high-heeled shoe. The result of the inflammatory changes in the tendon, aided possibly by the use of the high-heeled shoe, is to afterwards bring about contraction. Where this has occurred, and the animal walks continuously on his toe, the shoe with the projecting toe-piece (Fig. 84) must be applied. When the continual use of the toe-piece appears inadvisable, the shoe devised by Colonel Nunn may be used in its stead (see Fig. 108). The toe-piece is screwed into the toe of the shoe when the horse is about to be exercised, and forms a powerful point of leverage with which to stretch the contracted tendon, and the shoe, being thin at the heels, admits of this. The advantage of this form of toe-piece over the ordinary form of fixed toe-lever is that it can be removed when the horse is in the stable; while the curved point diminishes the danger of the horse hurting itself--a danger always present if it is on a hind-foot. (See also Treatment of Purulent Arthritis in Chapter XII.) [Illustration: FIG. 108.--COLONEL NUNN'S SHOE WITH DETACHABLE TOE EXTENSION.] _Should a Sinuous Wound remain in the region of the Lateral Cartilage_, it should be explored, and its depth and likely number of branches ascertained. Should this exploration denote that the cartilage itself is diseased, or that the wound is not able to be sufficiently drained from the sole, then we know that we have on our hands a case of quittor. The treatment necessary in such a case will be found described in Chapter X. _When the Complication of Purulent Arthritis has arisen_, the surgeon has to admit to himself, reluctantly no doubt, that the case is often beyond hope of aid from him. Nothing can be done save to order continuous antiseptic baths and antiseptic irrigation of the wounds with a quittor syringe, and to attend to the general health and condition of the patient. At the best it is but a sorry look-out both for the veterinary attendant and the owner of the animal. Even with resolution incurable lameness results, and the animal is afterwards more or less a walking exhibition of the limitations of surgery, while the owner, unless the animal is valuable for the purpose of breeding, finds himself encumbered with a life that is practically useless. (See Treatment of Purulent Arthritis, Chapter XII.)