CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 603 
horn), lies level with the sole and frog, both of which are thus per- 
mitted to come into direct contact with the ground. 
“ The frog is never pared, and, being left entire, soon becomes 
thick and flexible, and assists to support the body, forming with its 
spongy upper cushion a medium of elasticity to weaken the shocks 
upon the tendons and the joints. Its structure, too, soon resembles 
india rubber, and it thus constitutes in the hinder part of the foot 
a natural elastic wedge which expands, and keeps wide open the heel. 
The frog also, when well developed, fulfils another office besides 
strengthening the bearing upon the ground, for it prevents the 
horse from slipping, acting like the pad under the foot of the 
camel, dog, or cat. This last function is of very great advantage 
by securing the safety of the rider, and is all important in the paved 
streets of towns, when turning sharply round a corner or in travel- 
ling over ice. With Charlier’s shoe the sole of the foot is never 
touched, and the horn, being permitted to remain in its normal state, 
grows freely, and is always healthy and strong, for from bearing 
upon the ground it becomes hard and thick, and able to resist con- 
tact with the sharpest stones. Thus is obtained that real cover for 
the foot so desirable, a good sound sole. 
“ All artificial means to prevent the contact of the sole with the 
ground have turned out to be injurious, causing wasting, softening, 
and disease, more or less, of the sensitive portions of the foot. The 
frog and the sole, moreover, appear to be more abundantly secreted 
the more that they are exposed to attrition ; and like the skin of 
the hand of the blacksmith, or the foot of the beggar boy who has 
never worn a shoe, get to be incredibly resisting, and capable of 
being exposed to very hard and rough usage. 
“ Charlier’s method will thus be seen to be directly opposed to 
the ordinary system of shoeing horses, as generally practised in 
Great Britain and in France ; which system is, in his opinion, 
neither more nor less than a mutilation of the hoof of the horse by 
the knife and rasp, with the application to the extremity of the leg 
of the animal of an unnecessary weight of iron, oftentimes so con- 
structed as to elevate the horse upon a kind of skate, making him 
to be like unto the ladies with monstrous heels, thus seriously in- 
juring the action of the leg, and (as the ladies) causing to the wearer 
suffering and torture. 
“Many of the serious affections of the foot and heels of the 
horse, especially bad corns, are induced by the present mode of 
shoeing ; a fashion which must be condemned alike by the teach- 
ings of science, the reasoning of common-sense, and the result of 
daily observation and experience. 
“ Once again, then, let it be repeated, that the frog and sole must 
have pressure or they will become useless and diseased. With the 
foot shod a la Cliarlier, the heels of the horse are kept open, and 
the bars strong, the frog prominent and flexible, and the soles as 
firm and thick as the unshod colt, for they are never touched by a 
knife. The great enemies to the introduction of this system will be 
ignorance and routine, but these the friends of progress must de^ 
