THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XLIY. 
No. 524. 
AUGUST, 1871. 
Fourth Series. 
No. 200. 
Communications and Cases. 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANATOMY AND 
PHYSIOLOGY OE THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
By George Fleming, M.R.C.V.S., Royal Engineers. 
Physical and Chemical Properties and Minute Structure 
of the Hoof. 
[Continued from p. 466.) 
Histologically, we find but little difference between the 
wall and the sole of the hoof. It consists of the same ele- 
ments arranged in the same manner, i. e . epidermic cells 
ranged vertically in circular strata around villi proceeding 
from the keratogenous membrane covering the lower face of 
the os pedis ; the whole constituting tubular fibres that run 
nearly or quite parallel with those of the wall ; and inter- 
fibrous cells disposed more or less horizontally, and less com- 
pactly. Where the villi are most developed — around the 
margin of the foot, and particularly in front — there of course 
these fibres are largest ; while towards the centre of the sole 
they are smaller and closer. It is to be observed, however, 
that the arrangement of the constituent cells, whether fibrous 
or interfibrous, is not so close and firm as in the wall, and 
they would appear to possess less cohesiveness ; the intra- 
fibrous cells are also more loosely disposed towards the 
inferior or ground extremity of the fibre. The fibres through- 
out the sole are of the same consistency, each of course being 
softer at its upper or newly-formed extremity than at its 
lower end ; and it is probably owing to these peculiarities 
that we find the sole exfoliating in fiakes, i. e. the cells of 
the fibres losing their cohesiveness, and becoming disunited 
XLIV. 38 
