153 
ON THE STRUCTURE AND USES OF THE INFUN¬ 
DIBULUM AND CANALIS VASIFERUS IN THE 
HORSE’S FOOT. 
By Mr. Charles Clark, US'., London. 
This remarkable duct or reservoir iu the horse’s foot has passed 
unobserved until very lately, for its position is such that it could 
not be seen in an injected preparation; and there is but one 
mode of dissecting the part by which it is presented fairly to 
view, and by proceeding in any other way its delicate organiza¬ 
tion will inevitably be destroyed. 
It is situated immediately behind the lateral cartilage, at the 
highest and most prominent part of the quarter of the hoof, and 
directly under the coronary frog-band. This is the point where 
we usually find the external sinus in cases of quittor; and be¬ 
neath it internally is a plexus of bloodvessels, representing the 
confluence of all the principal veins of the foot. The large artery 
lies further behind it in the living or a fresh subject, although in 
a dried specimen it appears to be in close proximity with the 
veins. Mr. Bracy Clark, in his work on the Foot of the Horse, 
described it, for the first time, by the distinguishing name of 
Can alls Vasiferus ; and from amongst many interesting remarks 
I extract the following passage as most descriptive of his views 
respecting its important functions. 
*Pp. 113.—“ I may further observe of this remarkable plexus 
of bloodvessels and cavity that is found behind the cartilage, and 
which appears conspicuous enough in a vertical section of the 
foot transversely made across the quarters, that it is of an ob¬ 
long shape, and has not before received much attention; and I 
have been led to consider it as a kind of reservoir for receiving 
the blood that may be pumped up during any strong or rapid 
exertions of the animal from the effects of the motions in the hoof 
of the bones of the foot, which, accumulating in these large ves¬ 
sels contained in a spacious cavity, is thus prevented from cre¬ 
ating derangement to the general current of the circulation, or 
causing by its impetuous course any sudden rupture of the finer 
vessels of the foot.” The best manner of proceeding to obtain a 
sight of this cavity is, having procured a mature and tolerably 
perfect foot, to remove the wall carefully wfith the saw and knife, 
and afterwards the cutidura and cellular membrane, so as to have 
a fair view of the whole external surface of the great podal car¬ 
tilage. Then with a scalpel cut out an oblong piece, about half 
* Hippodonomia, or the Structure, &c. of the Horse’s Foot. 1829. Renshaiv. 
VOL. VII. X 
