On the General Treatment of the Feet. 177 



For, our dissections and morbid specimens exhibit innumerable, 

 convincing proofs, that tendons and ligaments, are frequently con- 

 rerted into bone. And we know that instances are now and then 

 met with, in the human subject, where the coats of the arteries have 

 become ossified, whilst at the same time, it has by no means been 

 proved that this change of structure is always attended with inflamma- 

 tion. And as we know that these morbid changes do frequently 

 take place, in many animals, especially in old age, it can excite but 

 little surprize, that they should frequently happen in the Horse, when 

 we take into account, the prodigious quantity of Phosphat of Lime 

 which circulates in his system ; as it has been proved from the chemi- 

 cal analysis of the bones of this animal, by Merat-Guillot, that they 

 consist of more than 57 parts out of an hundred of this interesting 

 salt ; which constitutes almost entirely that scurfy excretion of the 

 skin in Horses, called Dandril. 



But, Veterinary Surgeons have hitherto been led to associate the 

 notion of inflammation, with this conversion of such parts into bone, 

 as appear from their palpable uses to be intended to preserve their 

 original property of elasticity ; as if inflammation and this morbid 

 change were always inseparable, and must necessarily be accompa- 

 nying circumstances. 



Hence, one hears the term ossific inflammation, perpetually had 

 recourse to, in order to account for a phoenoraenon, which it has 

 been supposed would admit of no other explanation. 



Now, as I have not subjected the elastic sensitive fibres of the Foot, 

 to chemical analysis, I cannot venture to pronounce positively, upon 

 their nature, but I am strongly inclined to suspect with Mr. Clark, 

 that they are cartilaginous. If, however, it should be found that they 



Yy 



