334 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



bility of the hoof to the atrophied structures, which it encloses 

 and protects. Professor Dick said there was a kind of con- 

 traction of the hoof, in fact a naturcd tendency to this in the 

 domesticated animal, arising from a want of moisture when he 

 is confined in the stable. This kind of contraction, he main- 

 tained, did not cause lameness, " as the soft parts became 

 adapted to the alteration of the hoof." Now, in my opinion, 

 this kind of contraction would be the one most likely to cause 

 lameness ; indeed, it would be impossible for an animal not to 

 be so, if the pressure of the drying hoof were sufficient to cause 

 atrophy and absorption of the sensitive tissues within. That 

 horses' feet do become contracted, more especially at the heels, 

 without lameness, I do not deny. I do not think, however, 

 that this is due to any want of moisture, but to the removal 

 of the horn from the heels and sole during the operation of 

 shoeing, for the parts contracted are those situated posterior 

 to the wings of the os pedis, where the space between the two 

 quarters and heels of the hoof is filled by the elastic sensitive 

 frog, a structure possessing but little sensibility. The great 

 barriers to the collapse of the hoof at this part are strong 

 heels, bars, and sole ; but if the smith, by the so-called " open- 

 ing of the heels," remove such a quantity of horn as to weaken 

 the foot, can we wonder that it collapses, and that its sides 

 approximate each other too closely ? 



Sometimes one foot may be found contracted through its 

 whole extent without lameness. This may be due to some 

 natural peculiarity in the animal, just as we find that a man 

 may have one foot smaller than its fellow ; or it may arise 

 from the circumstance of the animal having been lame in that 

 foot or that limb while young. I have often found a small 

 foot to be due to a previous lameness in any part of the limb 

 or the foot, and to accidental circumstances. The explanation 

 is easy. "When an animal is lame in any part of the limb, he 

 avoids putting weight on the foot of that limb; the conse- 

 quence is loss of function and wasting, and in the young 

 animal, a cessation of growth ; whilst the opposite foot, having 

 to bear more than its proper share of Av^eight, becomes enlarged 

 in all directions ; in fact, grows rapidly, in order that it may 

 be able to maintain the extra amount of weight thrown upon 

 it. The disparity between the feet will remain through life, 



