:54 Veterinary-Captain Frederick Smith [May 3' 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 

 Friday, May 3, 1895. 



Sir James Crichton-Browne, M.D. LL.D. F.E.S. Treasurer 

 and Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Veterinary-Captain F. Smith, F.R.C.V.S. F.I.C. 



The Structure and Function of the Horse's Foot. 



The structure and function of the horse's foot is a subject which is 

 not ouly of theoretical interest but of supreme practical importance. 

 When I tell you that half the unsoundness and at least half the lame- 

 ness amongst horses in this kingdom are due to trouble either in or near 

 the foot, you will, 1 am sure, agree with me that it is impossible to 

 over-estimate the importance of the subject which I have to bring 

 before you this evening. 



The reason why the foot should be such a frequent seat of unsound- 

 ness is not difficult to understand, when we remember the unnatural 

 conditions under which horses both in town and country have to work, 

 and, further, the risk they incur from shoeing. 



Shoeing is a necessary evil, but the harm resulting from the 

 application of a shoe to the foot is not in itself great ; it is the abuse 

 of shoeing which constitutes the danger. The serious and senseless 

 mutilations whicli are practised on the foot rob shoeing of much of its 

 value, and constitute it a standing reproach to our civilisation. 



I regret that the time at my disposal will not admit of the question 

 of shoeing being touched on ; but during this discourse, as opportunity 

 occurs, I will allude to some of the great evils whicli are practised iu 

 this indispensable art, evils which I may at once say might in a few 

 months be swept away throughout the length and breadth of the land, 

 if the horse-owning community possessed even an elementary 

 knowledge of the manner in which the horse's foot is built up, and 

 the use of its various parts. 



It is probable that the majority of laymen regard the foot as a 

 solid block of horn placed at the end of the limb, and on which the 

 horse stands. I shall hope to show you that the foot is a highly 

 specialised structure, endowed with tissues possessing acute sensation, 

 mechanisms by which concussion is warded off, a blood supply 

 unequalled in any other part of the body, the whole being enclosed 

 within a covering of horn known as the hoof. 



The foot is therefore divided into two j)arts, a core consisting of 

 bones, blood-vessels, tendons and other tissues, which in shape 

 resembles a miniature hoof, and enveloping this a covering of horn 



