ANATOMY OF THE HORSE. 
31T 
increasing in thickness, gradually represents sole and frog. Not, 
however, in an undeveloped state; for even at birth, these parts 
are yet concealed by the exuberant cuticular covering, now 
become loose in its texture, and shaggy and ragged, in conse¬ 
quence of not receiving any further supply from the parts that 
produced it, and of being near its decadence ; for it not long after 
falls off, disclosing sole and frog, both ready formed. 
Structure of the Hoof. 
Horn is found to differ in its texture or quality, not only in the 
many animals in which it is met with, but in different parts, and 
even in the same part of the body of the same animal. That 
which composes the hoof of the horse is a remarkable example 
of this. How different is the horn of the frog from the horn 
of the wall; and yet neither of them agree in texture with the 
sole. The horny substance of the wall is resolvable into fibres, 
bearing a resemblance to thick or coarse hairs, which in the 
entire hoof are so intimately matted and glued together, as to 
have the appearance and strength of solidity. By close and 
accurate inspection these fibres may be seen, descending in paral¬ 
lel lines, taking the obliquity of the wall, from the coronet to 
the inferior or solar border: they do not run promiscuously, but 
are arranged in rows, forming sorts of beds or strata, lying one 
upon another—a disposition made manifest in the foot of the 
foetus. A clean-cut transverse section of the wall exhibits upon 
its surface numerous minute, circular, whitish spots, which grow 
larger and more distinct towards the internal part, and through a 
glass appear to be hollow or tubular. These spots I take to be 
produced by section of the horny tubes, apparently containing a 
whitish matter, a sort of pith, or pulp, or gelatinous instillation 
which pervades them from their origin from the villi of the coro¬ 
nary circle; the same as hairs derive their unctuous matter from 
the bulbs producing them, and (as this matter does the hair) 
renders the horny fibre tough and elastic—in fact, embuesit with 
the peculiar attributes so well known to smiths by the appellation 
of living horn; the epithet “living” being here used to denote 
the obvious differences the hoof of a living animal evinces from 
one that has been long detached from the body, or that is dead. 
We are too apt to believe that the various agents known to act 
upon the dead hoof or horn must take similar effect on the living ; 
and upon this erroneous belief we employ hot and cold water, &c. 
&c. in treating disease of the feet, forgetting that we have 
opposed to our remedies, the resisting or self-preserving properties 
of living horn. 
VOL. v. 
x x 
