100 Management and Treatment of the Horse. 



become dry and rigid. Every plate exhibits two 

 edges and two surfaces ; by one edge it grows 

 to the wall, and the other, which is somewhat 

 thinned, hangs loose and floating within the cavity 

 of the hoof. These are two smooth lateral sur- 

 faces, and considering the magnitude of the 

 lamella itself, of enormous extent, so much so 

 that it may be said almost to be constituted of 

 superficies. If we look carefully at the beautiful 

 lamella lining the foot, we must naturally be led 

 to contemplate the great and magnificent designs 

 which Nature evidently had in their formation 

 and very beautiful adaptation, viz. the produc- 

 tion of ample surface within a small space, an 

 end that has been obtained by the means of 

 multiplication. The late well-known Thomas 

 Evans, LL.D., made a mathematical calculation 

 of what the united superficies of these lamella 

 amounted to, and it was found that they afforded 

 an increase of actual surface more than the single 

 internal area of the hoof would give by about 

 twelve times, or about two hundred and twelve 

 square inches, being nearly one square foot and a 

 half. It is inflammation among this network of 

 delicate mushroom -like fibres that we call lami- 

 nitis, the destruction of which by disease allows 

 the coffin-bone to drop upon the sensitive sole, 

 the sole in its turn giving way and becoming 

 what is termed drop sole or pumiced feet. The 

 bars are processes of the wall, inflected from its 

 heels obliquely across the bottom of the foot; 

 they extend from the base of the heel into the 

 centre of the foot, between the sole and the frog. 



