FITTING AND APPLICATION OF SHOES. 87 



sole will be found on a level with the shoe, and thus 

 directly sharing in the weight sustaining function. 

 I have examined many feet shod by Charlier specialists, 

 and have never yet seen the sole of a hind foot level with 

 the shoe three days after the shoeing. Only once have 

 I seen the sole of the fore foot level with the shoe after a 

 week's wear. I am often apologetically told, " Well, it 

 is not quite in wear, but it is not an eighth of an inch 

 below the surface of the shoe." Quite so, it is nearly in 

 wear, but if not actually in wear, what becomes of the 

 principle ? The sole is not directly in wear, and bearing 

 is confined to the wall. As to the frog, the Charlier 

 affords no greater use to it than any other shoe of a 

 similar thickness, unless, instead of being placed on 



Fig. 64.— Groove for modified or short Charlier. 



sound, firm horn, it be dangerously let down into the 

 hoof so that its edge approaches very closely to the sen- 

 sitive foot. It is sometimes diflBcult to arrive at the truth 

 as to the signifiance of the phrase " embedding or letting 

 down" the shoe of the Charlier system. At one time we 

 are assured that "the shoe is not sunk, the sole is per- 

 mitted to grow up." When this is so, very little positive 

 objection to the system can be taken, because the shoe 

 then rests at the same level on firm horn as does any 

 other narrow shoe; but then the frog takes no better 

 bearing than in other systems, and the superfluous 

 growth of horn on the sole is of no value. When the 

 shoe is really " let down " of course the frog does receive 

 increased pressure — it is forced to share with the wall 



