110 EXAMINATION OF HORSES 
parts below the lower end of the tibia are one in struc- 
ture and function, and bear the same relation to the tibia 
and parts above them that the human foot does to the 
tibia and parts above it. The long axis of the human 
foot is horizontal, and the tibia is placed about perpen- 
dicular to this. The bones of the foot form an arch. on 
which the tibia rests. This arch has a strong set of 
ligaments stretched between its two extremities as a 
string binds together the ends of a bow, by one structure 
(the strong plantar fascia), which has no homologue in 
the horse. This is marked by dotted lines in the figure 
(Fig. 5). Otherwise both structures have like ligaments, 
binding like structures, and have the same names. Now: 
I wish to draw your attention to one ligament (the 
calcaneo cuboid), which in both subjects is the frequent 
seat of disease, and from the same cause. You know 
what a. “curb” is, but you may not have heard that 
human beings ‘spring curbs ;” and yet they do. Poor 
growing boys and girls standing for hours together at the 
loom “spring curbs ;” their calcaneo cuboid ligaments 
inflame and soften and let down the arch of the foot, and 
they have to be taken to hospitals and have repeated 
blisters applied while they are resting in bed, when in 
many cases the inflammatory softening gives way and 
the arch is either fully restored or nearly so; but if not, 
they remain flat-footed; and if they are boys and wish 
when they grow up to become soldiers, they are particu- 
larly examined as to the a7ch of the foot, and if found. 
flat-footed (to have curbs), they are rejected, because it is 
