THE FOOT 675 



laminae. Those laminae situated at the anterior part of the foot 

 are exposed to more strain than those posteriorly placed, for 

 the reason that, during progression, the final propulsion of the 

 body comes entirely on them ; they are also longer, and have 

 no plantar cushion or foot-pad to assist them, as the shorter, 

 posteriorly placed laminae have. The latter have their strength 

 increased by the direction in which the weight of the body 

 comes upon them. Instead of bearing it on the length of 

 the laminae, as at the toe, they carry it on the side, in such a 

 manner that the work of one lamina at the toe is shared by 

 several at the quarter. 



It will be remembered that the laminae are mainly attached 

 at the anterior and part of the lateral face of the foot to bone, 



Fig. 238. — The Rigid and Yielding Portion of the Foot. 



1, 1, The line of the lateral cartilage, ascertained by passing pins through the 

 laminae into the junction of the cartilage with the bone ; 2, 2, the portion 

 of the vascular wall, coronary body, and skin covering the lateral cartilage. 

 The part of the lateral cartilage extending above the hoof has its upper 

 edge outlined, but the dotted line is too straight (see Fig. 219). 



but on the remaining lateral face and posterior part of the foot 

 they are attached to stout cartilage ; if a line be drawn through 

 the foot at the junction of these structures (Fig. 238), this 

 feature will be demonstrated ; part of the laminal attachment 

 is cartilaginous and part osseous, the cartilaginous portion being 

 situated where elasticity is required — viz., the posterior face of 

 the wall. The line between hair and hoof shown in the figure 

 indicates that part of the lateral cartilage is within and part 

 outside the hoof. One function of the lateral cartilages of the 

 foot is to afford a movable wall-attachment to the sensitive 

 laminae, and enable them to be carried outwards during expan- 

 sion. A knowledge of the relation of the posterior laminae to the 



