MEDICAL TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 465 



" foot, where the duty of supporting the hinder parts alone is 

 " distributed over the quarters and heels of both sides of the foot. 



" The bars are continuations of the wall, reflected at the heels 

 " toward the center of the foot, where they meet in a point, leav- 

 " ing a triangular space between them for the frog. 



" The whole inner surface of the horny crust, from the center 

 *' of the toe to the point where the bars meet, is everywhere lined 

 " with innumerable narrow, thin, and projecting horny plates, 

 " which extend in a slanting direction from the upper edge of the 

 " wall to the line of junction between it and the sole, and possess 

 " great elasticity. These projecting plates are the means of greatly 

 *' extending the surface of attachment of the hoof to the coffin- 

 " bone, which is likewise covered by a similar arrangement of pro- 

 ejecting plates, but of a highly vascular and sensitive character; 

 " and these, dovetailing with the horny projections above named, 

 *' constitute a union combining strength and elasticity in a won- 

 " derful degree. 



" The horny sole covers the whole inferior surface of the foot, 

 " excepting the frog. In a well-formed foot it presents an arched 

 " appearance and possesses considerable elasticity, by virtue of 

 " which it ascends and descends, as the weight above is either sud- 

 " denly removed from it or forcibly applied to it. This descending 

 " property of the sole calls for our special consideration in direct- 

 " ing the form of the shoe ; for, if the shoe be so formed that the 

 " horny sole rests upon it, it cannot descend lower; and the sen- 

 " sible sole above, becoming squeezed between the edges of the 

 " coffin-bone and the horn, produces inflammation, and perhaps 

 " abscess. The effect of this squeezing of the sensible sole is 

 " most commonly witnessed at the angle of the inner heel, where 

 " the descending heel of the coffin-bone, forcibly pressing the vas- 

 " cular sole upon the horny sole, ruptures a small blood-vessel, 

 " and produces what is called a corn, but which is, in fact, a bruise. 



" The horny frog occupies the greater part of the triangular 

 " space between the bars, and extends from the hindermost part 

 " of the foot to the center of the sole, just over the point where 

 " the bars meet ; but is united to them only at their upper edge : 



