420 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



HOT-FITTING. 



The practice of liot-litting is very destructive. Buruing the sole 

 will, in time, partially destroy the sensitive laminae, and impairs 

 the membraneous lining underneath the coffin bone, as well as clos 

 ing the pores of the horn, causing the hoof to become hard, dry and 

 brittle. It also impedes, to a certain extent, as a necessary conse- 

 quence, the healthy growth of the hoof. 



The advocates of the hot-fitting present many reasons for the fur- 

 therance of the practice. It is alleged that shoes cannot be fitted 

 so rapidly nor so closely by any means other than that of hot- 

 fitting; and this is generally true, for by this means, the hoof is 

 burned to correspond with the inequalities which occur on the sur 

 face of the shoe, until the latter is thoroughly imbedded in the 

 horn. On the other hand, however, this fusing of the horn is in op- 

 position to its right growth and operation, and is the prolific source 

 of many evils and abuses. Horn being a non-conductor of heat, is 

 slowly affected by it, and it is said that three minutes burning of 

 the lower face of the sole is necessary to produce any indication of 

 increase of temperature on its upper surface. 



This is a fallacy, as I have proven many times, by operating upon 

 green specimens, with soles of varied thickness, in which case, the 

 soles of ordinary depth were penetrated by the heat, when heated 

 shoes were applied for the time specified, and the sensitive sole was 

 found to be scorched as well as the laminae, in its connections with 

 the sole, burned and charred. 



In the living subject these effects would have wrought serious 

 results. They have convinced me that the foot of a horse may in 

 no sense be compared to an inanimate block of wood, which may be 

 charred or carved as caprice may dictate. And because it is not, and 

 because it it filled with life and feeling, the necessity which there is 

 of thought, care and skill to be exercised in regard to it, is pointed 

 out to us. The economy of labor attained in the process of hot-fit 

 ting, will, I am sure, never counter-balance its evil effects. While it 

 is true that more shoes can be fitted in a given time by hot-fitting 

 than by cold, that is no argument against the expediency of the lat- 

 ter, as much or more might be said of any other part of the work. 



The CHAIRMAN: The next to\nc is "Hygiene of the Farm," by 

 Ur. Harvey B. Bashore, of West Fairview. Pa., whereupon Dr. 

 Bashore presented his paper as follows: 



