344 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 
interesting discussion ensued on this subject, in which Mr. Thomas 
Turner, Professor Sewell, Colonel Challoner, and Mr. Parkins, 
took part. Mr. Turner stated that the system of shoeing advo- 
cated by Mr. Miles was known in the profession as the “ unilateral” 
(or side-nailing) mode, in which the shoe was nailed to the hoof 
with the most decided effects in preventing the navicular disease 
to which the horse’s hoof was so frequently liable ; a system, he 
added, which, in common justice, he might be allowed to say was 
founded upon the important principle discovered by his brother, 
Mr. James Turner, V.S., of Regent-street, and published by him 
many years ago in his work on the Foot of the Horse, of which, at 
the next meeting of the Council, a copy should be presented for 
the acceptance of the Society. Professor Sewell remarked, that 
he had found old horses shod with a layer of leather, forming an 
artificial sole between the shoe and the hoof, recover from the 
severest affections arising from injury to the hoof, such, for in- 
stance, as contractions, brittleness, sand-cracks ; or diseases even of 
the foot itself, such as thrushes, canker, and corns ; and perfectly 
regain their original elasticity and firmness. He also strongly 
advised that all horses for road or street work should be shod in 
that manner during the whole period of their being required for 
use. The plan in question had been employed by Professor 
Sewell for the last thirty years. The leather sole prevented that 
concussion from taking place against the sensitive part of the foot 
which resulted in inflammation; and, by excluding all injurious 
substances from the hoof, those frequent accidents were avoided 
which arose from the falls resulting from the bruising and punctur- 
ing occasioned by such hard and sharp substances in the natural 
horny sole. The plan required a little practice to carry it out suc- 
cessfully; and it was not with an injudicious regard to economy to 
be abandoned, when, after its adoption for some time, it might 
seem, from the apparent soundness and safety of the feet, that the 
horses no longer required it. Colonel Challoner observed, that 
seventeen years ago Mr. James Turner had explained to him the 
principle of unilateral nailing, to which the attention of the Council 
was then called, and had practised it on Colonel Challoner’s 
horses for the avowed purpose of promoting the expansion of the 
hoof; but Colonel Challoner had since that time been led to adopt 
the plan of felt-shoeing for shell-footed horses, namely, that of in- 
serting, instead of leather, as practised b} r Professor Sewell, nothing 
more than thick felt, or thick gun- wadding, between the shoe and 
hoof of the horse. He had found this plan productive of the most 
beneficial results. Mr. Parkins had also' employed Mr. James 
Turner many years ago to shoe his horses on the unilateral prin- 
ciple . — Mark Lane Express. 
