450 CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
many opportunities present themselves in common with other fea- 
tures of defective horse management generally. 
The morbid changes, Mr. Fleming continues, are witnessed chiefly 
in the alteration of the form of the hoof outwardly. The wall, 
instead of remaining as before, in an unbroken, even, oblique line 
down the front, exhibits a depression or constriction midway, and 
below this a mass of horn extends forward in a round, bulging 
manner. The sole likewise exhibits a change — it becomes convex, 
particularly towards the toe, and a degree of lameness exists which 
is often very much aggravated by the effects of improper treatment, 
and thereby destroying the usefulness of the animal. Internally we 
observe the causes of these changes. It appears that the true seat 
of the disease is the anterior lower surface of the os pedis, and here 
the results of the process of inflammation are accumulated. These 
are false horn tissue, blood, lymph, and debris of the morbid action. 
Among the more active or acute forms, the succeeding stages are 
suppuration, or formation of abscess, attended with more or less 
destruction of surrounding structures, and ultimate evacuation. In 
the subacute form, the effused fluids being chiefly lymph or serum, 
absorption is effected, and after their removal, an amount of false 
horn tissue is left, which is not capable of being absorbed, but con- 
tinues to accumulate, and, by gradual increase from secretion, 
pushes back the bone, the point of which causes an elevation of the 
sole. He thought there could scarcely be a stronger argument than 
this fact against the assumption that the sensitive laminae are 
secreted by the horny laminae. A pulpy mass, consisting of cells 
or scales, are thrown off for an important purpose — the formation 
of the white zone — which, at the junction of wall and sole, is an 
aggregation of the proceeds of the secretion. In disease, and 
actuated by morbid action, this secretion is considerably aug- 
mented, and, instead of ending in the formation of horny laminae, 
constitutes a homogeneous mass, filling up the space between wall 
and CGffin bone in front. 
In the ordinary system of shoeing such feet, it is the practice of 
attaching an iron armature, the outer edge of which is very thick, 
the under or ground surface broad, and the foot surface hollowed or 
dished to form an exact counterpart of the sole, under the belief 
that pressure (weight) cannot be sustained by any other part than 
the wall. In such a method, there is no attempt to restore the hoof 
to its original or pristine condition, but measures are calculated to 
effect the very opposite by fostering causes which bring about great 
aggravation and increase of morbid action. His method of treat- 
ment may be termed a very bold one, for the object sought is to 
relieve the wall from pressure, and cause the sole to sustain it. This 
has the effect of removing all mechanical agency in maintaining a 
degree of separation of structures. As the hoof grows downwards, 
a sound and healthy connection is contemporaneous, and continued 
eventually to the bottom. Heavy shoes are discarded ; those having 
sufficient width to pass over, and receive a portion of the sole, and 
being thin, or rounded off, or curved at the heels, giving pressure to 
