COLEMAN'S OPINIONS. 519 



before joining the Veterinary College, his opportunities 

 for studying comparative pathology, and especially the 

 subject now under consideration, must have been rare. 

 Medical men, it must be remembered, unless they study 

 these matters as carefully as they have done those con- 

 nected with their own profession, are apt to commit very 

 grave mistakes, their special knowledge being, at times, 

 more liable to mislead than to guide them. 



Coleman repeats the statement as to the evil influences 

 of paring and bad shoeing ; and, owing to his exaggerated 

 notions of the elasticity and expansive properties of the 

 foot, adopted almost entirely Lafosse's ideas as to the 

 manner in which it ought to be shod. These were, as we 

 have noticed, frog and heel pressure. The conclusions at 

 which he arrived were these : — 



' I. That the natural form of the fore-feet of horses, 

 before any art has been employed, approaches to a 

 circle. 



' 2. The internal cavity of the hoof, when circular, is 

 completely filled by the sensible parts of the foot. 



'3. The hoof is composed of horny insensible fibres, 

 that take the names of crust, sole, bars, and frog. 



' 4. The crust is united with the last bone of the foot, 

 by a number of laminated, elastic substances. 



' 5. The uses of the laminas are, to support the weight 

 of the animal, and, from their elasticity, to prevent con- 

 cussion. 



' 6. The horny sole is externally concave, internally 

 convex, and united by its edge with the inferior part of 

 the crust. 



' 7. The uses of the horny sole are to act as a spriuo^. 



