On Lameness in Sheep and Lambs. 
8 
Anatomy of the Foot.* 
The foot of the sheep presents us with an arrangement of struc- 
ture well adapted to the natural habits of the animal : it is divided 
into two dii^its, or toes, each having an outer covering of hard 
insensible substance, called hoof. The hoof is principally divided 
into crust and sole : tlie crust, extending along the outer side ot the 
foot round the toe, and turning inwards, is continued about halt way 
back between the digits on the inside ; the sole forms the lower 
bearing of the foot, and fills the space between the inner and 
outer borders of the crust ; it continues backwards, becoming 
softer as it proceeds, and terminates at the heel, upon an elastic 
pad, similar in structure to the frog of the horse. This diversity 
of structure (as observed by one of our learned veterinary profes- 
sors) is for particular purposes. The crust, like that in the hoof 
of the horse, being harder and tougher than the sole, keeps up a 
sharp edge on the outer margin, and is mainly intended to resist 
the wear and tear to which the foot of the animal is exposed ; the 
sole covering the heels, although apparently soft, is tough and 
elastic, like India-rubber, and has the power to resist laceration 
from the sharpest bodies ; hence its great use, not only in pre- 
venting injuries to the more sensitive parts beneath, but injuries 
from concussion when the animal has leaped from an eminence ; 
it also assists in giving the sheep a firm footing whilst travelling 
over rocky and mountainous countries, of which many of our 
breeds are natives. 
The hoof being separated (which may readily be done by 
placing the foot in boiling water for a few minutes), we expose 
the coronary ligament, the laminae (the adjoining structures to 
the crust), the dense elastic pad upon the heels, and the villae, or 
spongy-like structure, connecting the sensible with the insensible 
sole. The coronary ligament passes round the upper part of 
each digit, and serves to connect the common skin of the leg 
with the internal parts of the foot, and adheres closely to the 
upper part of the insensible crust and sole ; it is formed by dense 
fibrous tissue, interwoven by innumerable blood-vessels ; and 
from this structure the hoof is formed. Beneath these parts we 
find the coffin bones below, the coronary bones above, and the 
navicular bones behind, the ligaments or bands by which these 
bones are connected, the joints and their beautiful lining, the 
synovial membrane, and the smooth, polished substance called 
cartilage, by which the joint-ends of bones are formed. About 
an inch above the foot, in the centre and front, we find a small 
hole (1) piercing the skin, called the interdigital canal ; this 
tube, or canal, passes downwards and backwards (as shown in 
diagram) between the toes, imbedded in cellular tissue and fatty 
B 2 
