412 POINTS. 



flexor muscles, the weight being then thrown upon the osseous supports. 

 The play of the pastern denotes nothing more than the healthy elasticity 

 of the flesh upon the tendon proper to which the osseous structures 

 repose. The bones have no motor power belonging to themselves. The 

 upright and the overshot pastern suggest no change in the more solid 

 frame; but such alterations prove that excessive work has strained the 

 great flexors of the limb, and destroyed the inherent property of elasticity 

 with which every muscle is endowed by nature. The burden being then 

 supported by an osseous pillar instead of an elastic band, of course jar 

 or concussion ensues upon the abnormal change. 



Thus, alteration in the natural position of an oblique bone is of great 

 importance to a purchaser ; and to judge properly of the pastern-joint, the 

 substance swelling forth beneath the elbow must be regarded. Should 

 this portion of the body be mean or wanting in development, hard work 

 will probably induce it to become rigid, or labor may, ultimately, cause 

 the pastern-joint to shoot forward and out of its proper situation. 



The flexor tendon likewise influences another part. The perforans is 

 inserted into the sole of the coffin-bone, or into the bone of the foot. 

 The direction in which the toes point is, therefore, regulated by a sub- 

 stance so far distant that the attempt to connect the two organs may, to 

 the uninformed mind, seem somewhat ridiculous. Yet, the statement 

 being correct, the fact renders the position of the elbow of more import- 

 ance; for according to the situation of that bone the hoofs will be 

 directed. Thus, an ulna or an elbow which is drawn toward the trunk 

 will be attended with a toe inclined outward. When the bone turns 

 from the body, the forward portion of the hoof is directed inward. 

 When the framework is properly constructed, the hoofs point forward; 

 for horses' hoofs are liable to those derangements which the human foot 

 exhibits, and generally with like results. Only, in man, striking one 

 leg against the other, during progression, is not attended with the unfor- 

 tunate consequences which such an occurrence often will induce when 

 this accident happens to the quadruped. 



IMCUNATIONB AND DEFECTS OF THE FEET, AS WELL AS SAMPLES OF ODD HOOFS. 



HOOFS POINTINa FORWARD. HOOFS POINTING OUTWARD. HOOFS POINTINO INWABD. 



By the pasterns recently exhibited it will have been observed that the 

 inclination of the bones influences the slant of the hoof. The two 



