CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 891 
evil to nail on shoes tightly pressing upon the horny sole, as the 
many bruises and cases of suppuration which follow abundantly 
testify. He thought wrong principles have been embraced too long, 
as well as absurd practices carried out. The frog is evidently an 
admirably adapted cushion to protect highly organised parts within. 
He approved of a modificatian of the Charlier shoe — one somewhat 
stronger, but applied on similar principles, and he had found from 
experience that the feet, through the resulting sole pressure, were 
more prolific in horn, could resist shock much better, and the animal 
travel over the roughest macadam with ease and total absence of 
pain. 
Mr. T. W. Gowing , senr., approved of pressure [weight] being 
borne by the wall alone. Continuous pressure on the sole had in 
his experience proved injurious. 
The President urged that the sole of the horse’s foot is intended 
by nature to receive pressure, and as a proof of this gave the fact that 
all animals in a state of nature present their soles to the ground, 
and in no single instance could he find that part absolved from 
taking part in weight bearing. Another proof is derived from the 
undoubted fact that when caused to bear weight the animal goes 
well, and the feet greatly improve by it. 
Mr. W. Clark referred to the alteration in the form of horses’ 
feet, which succeeded to change of locality, when surrounding con- 
ditions were of an opposite character. He also contended that for 
the sole a degree of pressure is not only essential but can be borne, 
and gave examples from the use of leather soles and stopping and 
india-rubber cushions. 
Mr. Lawson gave further examples in proof of the benefit of sole 
pressure, particularly in the chronic states after laminitis. 
Mr. Hunting , in reply, said he thought Mr. Mavor had misinter- 
preted the statements of Mr. Broad. Pressure derived from a non- 
seated shoe, as recommended by Mr. Broad, does not extend to the 
major part of the sole, but to those portions within the circumfer- 
ence of the wall. As the sole represents an arch, and the wall its 
abutments, pressure is confined to the extremities or springings of 
that arch, where the greatest pointy of resistance are presented. 
Pressure thrown upon the frog is transmitted throughout the whole 
foot, and not through the coffin bone, as erroneously supposed by 
some. And one of the offices of the frog is undoubtedly to distribute 
and break the force of shock which in its absence might be com- 
municated to parts injuriously. As a proof might be given the 
position of the coffin bone, and its elongation backwards, by an 
amount of resilient substance — the lateral cartilages. It is a fact 
self-evident on a consideration of the anatomy of the parts. Shock 
given to the wall, as described by Mr. Mavor, transmitted through 
its fibres, cannot pass outwards as a material substance or of aeriform 
character. It is provided against by a harmonious arrangement of 
muscles and ligaments, with bones placed at convenient angles, all 
of which are engaged in a most wonderful principle of co-ordination, 
destroy the shock, which if communicated through an unbroken and 
