THE FOOT. 279 



whicli are thin plates covering tlie remainder of the antero- 

 lateral surface of the basement structure of the foot, run- 

 ning from above downwards, at the anterior jmrt meeting 

 the ground surface at right angles, becoming oblique 

 laterally. This obliquity from behind forwards and 

 downwards increases towards the heels, the laminae also 

 becoming shorter in proportion. At the heels this layer 

 is reflected forwards, slightly inwards, for about one and a 

 half inches between the heel of the sole and the anterior 

 inflection of the vascular coronary secreting substance, 

 anteriorly and inferiorly blending with the sole, terminating 

 in an ill- defined point, for here we see a useful indication 

 of the nature of the lamince, the fact that they are linear 

 rows of papillae united together for a specific purpose being 

 here demonstrable. By careful examination we may see 

 secondary papillce extending horizontally into the inter- 

 spaces between the laminae from the surfaces of the layers. 

 These laminae are 500 to 600 in number ; they are smallest 

 superiorly, where they commence in blending with the coro- 

 nary secreting substance ; inferiorly they blend gradually 

 with the sensitive sole. 



The sensitive sole covers the whole of the plantar sur- 

 face of OS pedis, with the exception of a small wedge- 

 shaped portion running forwards from the centre of the 

 posterior crescentic margin, which is occupied by the apex 

 of the sensitive frog. At the anterior jjart also, centrally, 

 we find in most feet a marked notch, so that the sensitive 

 sole is narrowest centrally, and from this gradually in- 

 creases in width to the anterior part of the laminae of the 

 bars, where it bifurcates ; the outer division terminating 

 in a point at the inflection of the laminae ; the inner divi- 

 sion blends with the termination of the coronary secreting 

 substance. The whole surface presents papillae, which 

 around the outer margin are small and continuous with 

 the inferior extremities of the sensitive laminae. They 

 gradually increase in size to the central line and then 

 again decrease, being absent at the line of junction of the 

 frog with the sole. The apex of the frog extends to within 

 an inch of the toe of the sole. 



The sensitive frog covers the external surface of the 

 fibrous frog, and consequently presents two prominent 

 ridges running from behind forwards, obliquely inwards, 

 meeting at about the centre^ and continued on to form a 



