418 MODE OF SEVERING A FOOT. [BOOK III. 



side bar of the insensible frog. At o is the coronet, 

 or coronary ring, and at p the lower end of the 

 large pastern bone. 



At a, when the coffin is recently cut through, 

 no difference of structure is perceivable, though 

 upon stricter examination, it will be found at the 

 central part more porous than that which is ad- 

 jacent to the other bones ; this hardness increases 

 towards the whole surface (b b b), where the cutting 

 presents a perfect enamel, as is well represented 

 in the cut referred to, by the excellent chissel of 

 Mr. Lee, to whom the public is indebted for some 

 of the finest specimens extant in the art of wood en- 

 graving. 



But the contents of the receptacle at a, we 

 have ascertained by experiment to be unequivocally 

 the same glutinous substance (in a state of prepa- 

 ration) as the hoof itself. This process of nature 

 is well explained by the old aphorism that, " arte- 

 ries entering bone engender bone, those of muscle 

 create muscle," and so on; and the blood thus 

 deposited in the coffin-bone, previous to being dis- 

 persed over the internal parts of the foot, partakes 

 of all the qualities of bone, membrane, muscle, and 

 skin — the whole combined becomes horny, being 

 hardest at the wall, or crust, and toe, softer at the 

 sole, and softest at the heels; but all furnished 

 with the material for their supply from the same 

 source — namely, the receptacle in the centre of the 

 coffin-bone (at a). 



If our advice be worth any thing — if our earnest 



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