C 40 



with iron the place of the horn taken away, and 

 thus aims at giving the natural tread to the foot; 

 which however it almost always falls of effect- 

 incr, from it not being in general practicable to 

 take away from the toe a quantity of horn, 

 equal to the quantity of iron added; that is 

 to say, three times as much from the toe, as 

 from the heels, the difference recommended be- 

 tween the thickness of the toe and the heel of 

 the shoe. 



The mischiefs which spring from cutting 

 awav the sole, have before been pointed cut ; and 

 the crroove at the heels, from being open at one 

 end, and closed at the other and on the sides, 

 frequently- admits and harbours gravel. 



On the whole, therefore, though there is much 

 ino-enuitv displayed in thus contriving and adapt- 

 ing expedients, in some measure, to prevent the 

 evils which would otherwise have occurred from 

 the fiequent use of a shoe with a thick toe, and 

 flat upper surface, yet as the natural tread is ab- 

 solutely destroyed by such a shoe, it ceitainly 

 would be safer and more simple, to preserve 

 It by a shoe of moderate and equal thickness 

 throughout; and instead of sacrificing part of 

 the sole to the shoe, to keep the sole in its full 



