140 NAVICULARTHRIXrS. 



several hours in the course of the day with their fore feet in 

 tubs of water : every now and then being trotted out in hand by 

 direction of the Professors, with the view of ascertaining what 

 progress towards amendment was being made by the treatment 

 adopted. And it was a common circumstance for such cases to 

 continue for months under treatment. I also remember how much 

 of Professor Coleman's attention the complaint called ''contraction" 

 occupied — what a favourite the subject was with him, and how 

 ingeniously and learnedly he descanted upon it in his lectures : — 

 He would say — " Expansion of the hoof is effected by the pressure 

 upwards of the frog and the pressure downv/ards of the navicular 

 bone. By properly thinning the sole, rasping the quarters, lower- 

 ing the heels, giving the frog pressure, and keeping the horse 

 in a pond all day long, or else tied up with his (lame) feet in a 

 tub of water, we have no difficulty in removing contracted hoofs. 

 Although difficulty there be none, however, in restoring the original 

 form of the hoof, we too frequently find we have gained nothing 

 by it, because we have not restored the original structure of the 

 parts contained within the hoof. Contraction of the hoof, in con- 

 sequence of the internal parts being squeezed, produces inflam- 

 mation of the laminse, and ossification of them. This causes the 

 horse in galloping to avoid to his utmost coming down upon his 

 heels or to tread upon hard ground, the concussion at such times 

 being great from loss of elasticity in the laminse, so that the mo- 

 ment he comes to work he falls lame. In nine cases out of ten 

 of what are termed ' groggy' or ' foundered' horses, these parts, 

 in consequence of chronic inflammation, become altered in struc- 

 ture, effusion of lymph or bony matter taking place." 



The above extract from the Professor's Lectures, while it de- 

 monstrates all absence of knowledge of disease in the navicular 

 joint as connected with groggy lameness, shews the connexion exist- 

 ing in Coleman's mind between such lameness and contraction of 

 the hoof. Contraction, he says, by pressing upon the sensitive parts 

 of the foot, " produces inflammation of the laminae, and ossification 

 of them," and this '' occasions groggy or foundered lameness." 

 In another place he gives the causes of contraction, as consist- 

 ing, summarily, in want of pressure from above and from below. 



