CORN (Lat. corn a, horn; connected with Ir., Welsh corn, Gall. Kcipvov, ka•non, Goth. hafirn, AS., Engl., 011G. horn, Ger. Horn, also with Gk. rcepas, keras, Skt. horn). A small hard growth resulting from an increase in the thickness of the cuticle or epidermis, which is generally caused by the irritation of some excessive pressure or friction. on the part. Corns occur most commonly on the toes, as a result of tight shoes. Three varieties of cons are described—viz. (1) Laminated corns, or callosities. in which the hardened cuticle is arranged in layers. frequent ly of a dark-brown color, from the effusion of blood in the deeper layers. (2) Fibrous corns (elavi), which are not only fibrous in their early stages. but have convex surfaces, and, as time goes on. sink into the skin, sometimes producing great pain. Frequently a bursa, or small bag containing serum, is formed beneath. and if this should inflame, pus speedily forms, and the pain and constitutional irritation become severe; at other time the pressure may cause absorption of the ends of bones. and serious alterations in the condition of a joint. (3) Soft corns occur between the toes and cause much annoyance; they are generally small, and as they are constantly bathed in perspiration, the cuticle does not hard en, as in the other varieties. They sometimes give rise to painful ulcerations, and should never be neglected. The treatment of corns consists in the removal of all undue pressure or friction, either by removing the shoe altogether, or pro tecting the corn by surrounding it with a ring of felt or 'corn plaster'; or the hardened cuticle may be softened by the application of water of ammonia and then scraped or filed away; or it may be extracted by using a dull instrument. A soft corn should be treated by putting small rings of absorbent cotton around it and between the toes, and keeping it dry till it becomes a hard corn. and then treating it as such. Alost druggists keep a 'corn cure' composed of sali cylic acid dissolved in collodion. several applica tions of which will remove a hard corn. In all serious eases, application should be made to a chiropodist.
Corns affect horses as well as man. In the foot of the horse they occur in the angle between the bars and outer crust, and are caused by a bruise of the sensitive secreting sole. Two forms of feet are especially subject to them—those with deep, narrow, slanting heels, in which the sensi tive sole becomes squeezed between the doubled up crust and the shoe; and wide, fiat feet, which, by the senseless cutting away of the bars and outer crust, allow the delicate interior parts to be pressed with all the force of the animal's weight on the unyielding iron shoe. Serum and blood are poured out, while the secreting parts, being weak and irritable, produce a soft, scaly, unhealthy horn. Corns constitute unsoundness; cause a short, careful, tripping gait; are a very frequent source of lameness among road sters; abound in badly shod horses, especially those with the kind of feet alluded to, and usually occur in the inside heels of the fore feet, these being more especially subjected to weight, and hence to pressure. The discolored spot in dicating the recent corn must be carefully cut into with a fine drawing-knife, any serum or blood being thus allowed free vent. If the bruise has been extensive, a poultice will have the twofold effect of allaying irritation and re lieving the sensitive parts by softening the hard. unyielding born. When the injury has been of long standing. and soft faulty horn is secreted. a drop of diluted nitric acid may be applied. On no account must the bars or outer crust be removed: they are required for bearing weight. which may be further kept of the injured part by the use of a bar-shoe. In horses subject to corns, the feet should be kept soft by dressing with tar and oil, or any suitable emollient; the corn should be pared out every fortnight : a shoe with a wide web on the inside quarter should be used, and should be nailed only on the out side: and, if the sole is thin and weak, leather pads should be employed. In bad eases the shoes may be removed and the horses turned nut to pasture for a few weeks with good re sults.