THE PHYSIOLOGY OE THE FOOT. 
7 
and do not, as he so boldly states at page 901, vol. xliii, 
“ become dry, and crumble into powder,” neither does the wall 
necessarily “ become hard, dry, and condensed.” 
I hope this gentleman will ere long have an opportunity 
afforded him of seeing for himself the exact condition of hoof 
growing false, and will then admit himself in error, and will 
verify the truth of what I have advanced, as he did in the 
physiology of seedy toe at page 739, vol. xxxix, and will then 
make amends for the injustice he has now done me. 
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FOOT. 
By W. Hunting, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
In a recent number of the Veterinarian, Mr. Greaves has 
expressed an adverse opinion on some points in the physiology 
of the foot, advanced by me at the first meeting of the 
Central Veterinary Medical Society. 
Whilst regretting that our talented visitor did not avail 
himself of the free discussion which followed, I feel bound 
to reply to the questions he has raised. 
Mr. Greaves discusses four questions, one of which I am 
not concerned with as an essayist; still, as they are all of 
great importance and interest, it may not be amiss to con- 
sider shortly the whole. 
As perhaps through the pages of the Veterinarian the dis- 
cussion may widen, I would respectfully suggest that mere 
assertion be always treated as mischievous and erroneous, 
and that evidence obtained in the dissecting-room and with 
the microscope be received with as much respect as though 
gained in ordinary routine practice. 
1st. Are the horn laminae produced by the sensitive laminae ? 
My reply to this Mr. Greaves believes to be “ as great a 
fallacy as to conclude that the foetus is produced by the 
maternal membranes.” This comparison, I venture to think, 
has no bearing whatever, but we have an exact parallel in 
the relations of the dermis and epidermis, i.e., a vascular and 
sensitive structure closely applied to a non-sensitive and non- 
vascular one ; neither cuticle nor hoof contains blood-vessels 
or nerves, yet both are vital and organized. 
So far we both probably allow the analogy. I go further, 
and say that just as the dermis secretes the epidermis, so do 
the sensitive laminse secrete the horny. Let me offer my 
reasons for this opinion. 
