EXPANSION OF THE FOOT OF THE HORSE. 
537 
served a remarkable dearth of noVelties, and a decided stagnation 
in this branch of speculative writing for several years past. No 
new patent has been taken out by the Professor of that institu- 
tion, and even with that great advantage (never before possessed) 
of a veterinary periodical exclusively devoted to its service, and 
ready to afford publicity to every thing advantageous, the profes- 
sion has maintained a comparative silence on the foot and shoeing. 
Why has agitation so sensibly decreased, that now in your 
pages but one tone seems to pervade most of the communications 
of your correspondents? Does it not mark the gradual and 
quiet adoption of a general principle, the knowledge of which is 
tending strongly to remove the grounds of former differences in 
opinion, and bring the profession to a more unanimous under- 
standing on this most important subject ? I believe, Mr. Editor, 
that this is the case, and that the doctrine of a lateral yielding 
action of the horse’s hoof, and of the necessity of a defence which 
shall permit of this natural movement; in a word, the expansion 
of the foot, as advocated by Mr. Bracy Clark during the last 
thirty years, is the valuable principle that is now becoming 
tacitly admitted in the veterinary world. Not that this principle 
is yet in any degree so generally recognized as it ought to be, or 
as it will shortly be ; and, perhaps, many who are advocating the 
practice know little of the source from whence it was derived ; 
but to this extent I say it has become almost impossible to write 
on the foot or shoeing without an allusion to this now prevalent 
doctrine, an investigation of which by an unprejudiced mind 
must always end in a belief of its correctness. 
In support of this opinion, allow me to refer to the contribu- 
tions which have appeared in your pages from various gentlemen, 
who speak in such language on the subject as would have been 
incomprehensible, and, indeed, never was used before the 
anatomy of this organ was truly explained by Mr. B. Clark ; and 
they talk of the “ expansion of the foot” with a freedom which 
I have fully expected would call down the remarks of some of 
its old opponents who were accustomed flatly to deny the whole 
matter, both the facts and deductions arising therefrom. 
I have not now by me the letters of Mr. James Turner, Mr. 
Spooner of Southampton, and other gentlemen who have advocated 
the unfettered system of shoeing, meaning thereby, in effect, 
Mr. B. Clark’s unilateral shoe ; but these observations are 
called up by a paper in your last number from Mr. Carlisle, of 
Wigton, who has tried the same plan with success. He seems 
fully to be aware of the lateral “ expansion of the foot,” 
calling “ the shoe with four nails on each side an unyielding 
hoop,” and “ those universal fetters;” and concludes by recom- 
mending the unilateral shoe most strongly to all practitioners. 
VOL. ix. 4 B 
