PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF SHOEING HORSES. 213 
weight. Thus the carriage is preserved from injury, and the mate- 
rials of the road are not broken ; and in surmounting obstacles, in- 
stead of the whole carriage with its load beinglifted over them, the 
springs allow the wheels to rise, while the weights suspended 
upon them are scarcely moved from their horizontal level: so 
that the whole of the weight could be supported on the springs, 
and all the other parts supposed devoid of inertia, while the 
springs themselves are very long and extremely flexible. This 
consequence would clearly follow, however much it may wear 
the appearance of a paradox, that such a carriage may be drawn 
over a road abounding in small obstacles, without agitation, and 
without any material addition being made to the moving power 
or draught.” — Gilbert. 
“ A carriage without springs, moving over a rough road, has 
to be lifted over obstacles, or out of depressions, and all the 
power expended in overcoming inertia is pure loss : but the 
force exerted in elevating the weight is in a great measure by 
the preceding or subsequent descent. Now, under the supposi- 
tion in my paragraph, inertia would be destroyed; and it already 
is so by springs now at present used, and by the smooth roads.” 
— Gilbert . 
It would be useless to multiply quotations on the principle of 
springs. The principle of springs is acknowledged and taught 
in our veterinary school as the principle of action of the hoof and 
part within it. The seceders go upon a supposed expansion 
horizontally : they have failed, as others before them, in not 
being able to bring the modification of expansion into general 
use. Springs, too, have failed ; and for the same reason, — their 
application to prevent contraction. For springs to be brought 
into general use instead of the ordinary shoes, they must have the 
ordinary shoes for their basis. It must produce as much profit to 
the trade; not forgetting that intellect in its march has, as yet, 
forgotten to go the rounds of the veterinary forges , the new name 
for the blacksmith’s shop, in contradistinction , I suppose, to that 
of the whitesmith. 
[To be continued.] 
INFLAMMATION AND DECOMPOSITION OF THE 
GLUTEI MUSCLES. 
Mr. J. Kent, of Bristol . 
A mare about twelve years old was ridden by Mr. Quick, a 
traveller for the house of Messrs. Kent, brush-makers, near Fal- 
con Square, London. She was very inordinately fat, and from 
