656 



OPEEATIONS ON THK FOOT. 



FlQ. 503.— Slioe of ae la Broue. 



Fig. 504.— Vatrin's Shoe. 



which we shall speak hereafter. This shoe is only indicated when 

 the heels are already contracted ; they have no indication as pro- 

 phylastic shoeing. 



The shoe with slippers is indeed a shoe which ia some cases 

 may cure contraction. "If the results obtained have not been 

 very satisfactory," says Defays, " this depends not upon the shoe, 

 but arises from the defective manner in which the foot was pared. 

 To be efficacious in that shoeing the heels must be left alone, and 

 the sole and the bars must be well thinned. It is true that ia this 

 way the foot is in the most favorable condition for contraction, 

 but the circulation is rendered easier in the tissues underneath, 

 and the effects of the thinning of the hoof are diminished by the 

 resistance opposed to contraction by the iacUned planes of the 

 branches of the slipper. The same may be said of the shoe of 

 de Belleville, also recommended by SoUeysel, and for 5vhose appU- 

 cations the foot has to be carefully pared. We feel assured of the 

 propriety of recommending the use of the inclined plane of the 

 branches of the shoe with the presence of a small clip on the 

 inner borders of the heels, such as proposed by Vatrin. 



Attempts have been made to dilate the contracted foot and to 

 cause its return to its normal dimensions by mechanical means. 

 The sAoe with ears (Fig. 505) has been devised for this purpose. 

 This is a shoe provided on the inner border of each heel with 



