C 13 3 



fills bearing part is, indeed, able to support 

 its proportion of the weight of the body, but it 

 certainly is not capable of sustaininor as much, 

 with safety to itself, as if the zulwle of the crust 

 were to rest on the shoe, and hence, from the ex- 

 cess of pressure, it is frequently crushed down 

 and broken off. The shoe is usually put on so 

 as to project a little beyond the crust, :ind the 

 foot does in effect stand in the hollow of the shoe 

 upon an edge, or narrow line, iiistead of being 

 supportvcd by a fiat surfice : and as the weight of 

 the body reposes upon this narrow line of crust, 

 which is in contact with the shoe, it naturally, 

 and continually, tends to press the foot down die 

 sloping surface of the shoe, into too small a com- 

 pass, and thus this slope becomes the principal 

 cause of oval and con traded feet. 



The sloping surface of the two opposite 

 brandies of the shoe, acting like wedges upon 

 the heels of the hoof, force them nearer too;ether, 

 and these are observed to be the parts of the foot 

 which first give way to the pressure. 



"Whilst the contraction is zo'inz on in the 

 outer part of the foot, the sensible parts wdthin 

 suftcr more or less from compression; and hence 

 lameness is a frequent attendant on contracted 

 feet. The crust being forced inwards by the side 



