FAULTY CONFORMATION 133 
one of Captain Smith’s shoes in a case where the hoof was 
badly contracted, and where the frog had entirely disap- 
peared, there being also slight lameness. The roof rapidly 
expanded, and every other day the nut was moved on a bit 
to keep the cross-piece tight. I then had the cross-piece 
bent downwards a little to prevent the nut pressing on the 
rapidly-growing frog.* After another fortnight or so, I had 
a shoe made with clips resting against the inside of the 
bars,t and the next time he was shod these were also dis- 
pensed with. It is now a year ago since the animal re- 
covered his frog, and he still has the largest frog in the 
stable, and the hoof shows no sign of contraction.’ 
(b) De Fay’s.—Among other shoes of the expansion 
class may be mentioned that of De Fay. Like the pre- 
ceding, it is a shoe with a flat bearing surface, and pro- 
vided with bar-clips. It is, however, unhinged. The 
requisite degree of periodic expansion is in this case arrived 
at by a forcible widening of the heels of the shoe, accom- 
plished by bending the substance of which it is made, and 
for this purpose the instrument illustrated in Fig. 75 is 
employed. 
The foot is first properly trimmed by levelling the heels 
and thinning the sole on each side of the frog. The shoe 
is then fixed by nails in the ordinary manner, taking care 
that the last nails come not too far back, and that the clips 
rest evenly and firmly on the inside of the bars. 
The dilator, hoof-spreader, or vice, as it is variously 
called, is then applied, its two jaws (a and D) fitting against 
the inner edge of the shoe at the heels. Careful note is 
taken of the width of the hoof as measured on the graduated 
scale (e, e), and the double screw (g, h) revolved by means 
of the wrench (k), until the opening of the jaws thus ob- 
tained registers an expansion of 7, to } inch. 
The dilatation is repeated at intervals of from eight to 
ten days, until, at the expiration of a month or e:x weeks, 
'* The italics are mine (H. C. RB.). 
+ The expanding shoe itself was here evidently dispensed with, and 
an ordinary shoe with bar-clips used in its stead (H. C. R.). 
