5 
THE “ HORNY LAMINAE.” 
disease. From the condition of the diseased organs, there 
can be no doubt that the function of both was seriously 
impaired; that of the right must have been lost entirely. 
The analysis of the urine would have contributed impor- 
tant evidence ; but it was not possible to obtain a specimen, 
and we are consequently left very much to conjecture. It is 
probable, however, that the secretion of urea was only par- 
tially effected, and it is not unlikely that the imperfect elimi- 
nation of this effete product had some influence in causing 
the animal’s death. — Eds.] 
THE “ HORNY LAMINAE.” 
By Thomas Greaves, M.R.C.V.S., Manchester. 
It is said that man is a fighting animal ; if this be so, 
I feel I am an exception to the rule, for, although I have a 
profound respect for many well-meaning men who think 
they have a mission to perform in converting all men to their 
views, irrespective of what those views may be, still at the 
same time I hold in abhorrence any man who is fond of 
crossing swords with his professional brethren, fond of 
wrangling and contention. On this occasion, in reply to some 
animadversions on my paper in the November number of the 
Veterinarian, I only desire to repeat that which I there stated, 
viz., that my sphere of observation, as well as the oppor- 
tunities afforded me, have been much greater than that of 
many of my fellow veterinary surgeons during the last thirty- 
seven years. The opportunities thus alluded to are as fol- 
lows : — During many years I had four forges, and shod or 
had the close supervision of the shoeing of more than 1400 
horses regularly ; 100 of these were shunters, that is, horses 
that had to draw trucks or waggons of merchandise back- 
wards and forwards in the railway goods yards; in some 
places in these yards the turntables have five or six different 
lines of rails converging on to them. At these places the 
points of the metals being so very close, numerous, and in- 
tricate, the horses’ shoes were constantly getting fast in them ; 
when perhaps the next moment a waggon wheel was upon his 
foot — a waggon with twelve or fifteen tons in it. The coffin- 
bone was often cracked like a cockle-shell, or one half the hoof 
was stripped from the bone from the top to the bottom, or so 
desperately crushed and contused that in a few days it 
became detached, and, the vascular laminae being destroyed, 
would slough away. For several years I was never clear of 
