4i TflE VETERINARY SCIENCE. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE SKIN. 



THIS is the membrane which covers the body, and consists 

 of two layers called the dermis and epidermis. The 

 epidermis is the outer layer of skin, and is made up of 

 epithelium and protects the under layer from the air and slight 

 injuries, this layer undergfoes a continual process of being" made 

 up and passing- away in dandruff. The dermis or true skin is well 

 supplied with blood and nerves, part of the nerves being the 

 nerves of touch. What is known as the sweat glands are found 

 in this layer. When the skin is injured, the outside layer being 

 knocked off, this part of the skin is very painful. The skin is 

 attached on the inside to the body by a layer of white tissue which 

 is known as the areolar tissue, this being the tissue which is cut 

 through in skinning an animal. The skin varies in thickness on 

 different parts of the body, being thinnest on the under parts. 



HAIR. 



There are three kinds of hair on the horse, the common, 

 which covers most of the body, being the finest of the three. The 

 mane and tail, which is coarse and long. Around the muzzle or 

 nose and the lips are found long hairs, usually black and called 

 Cr't hairs. 



On the inside of the front legs, just above the knee, and on 

 the inside of the hind legs, about the hock, are rough, horny spots 

 which are called chestnuts. 



CHAPTER XH. 



THE HOOF. 



THIS is a very important point in anatomy in connection 

 with the lameniess of the horse. The hoof of the horse 

 corresponds to the finger nail of the man — it is divided 

 into three distinct parts, the wall, the sole, and the frog. 



The Wall is the part of the hoof that is seen when the foot is 

 resting flat on the ground ; it is divided into the toe, the quarters, 

 the heels and the bars. The toe forms the front of the hoof, and 

 is the thickest ^nd strongest part of the wall. The quarters arf 

 situated at the side of the hoof. The walls are not nearly so thick 

 here %s s^t t\xp tpp, hut s^re almost straight up ^nd down. The heels 



