586 percivall’s anatomy of the horse. 
detail, there are occasional glimpses of physiological views, per¬ 
fectly original, and of the highest importance. 
One instance, although a minor one, may be selected. Mr. 
Percivall is describing the sensitive lamina or lamella. “The 
cuticular covering of the coronary substance having descended 
upon the coffin-bone, the circumference of which is less than 
that of the coronet, becomes thereupon gathered into numerous 
little plaits or folds, which proceed in slanting parallel lines down 
the wall of the bone.” 
“ Every lamina consists of one entire plait or duplication of 
substance, having its inward sides intimately and inseparably 
united: its outward sides bein^ the surfaces of attachment for 
7 o 
the horny laminse.” “ Its nature is extremely dense, and it 
possesses extraordinary toughness and tenacity. Veterinary 
writers and lecturers have endowed the laminse with a high 
degree of elasticity; but it appears to me that the property is 
referable to their connexions, and not one that is inherent in 
their own substance.” 
“ Elastic structure. —This is a substratum of a fibrous perios¬ 
teum-like texture, attaching the laminse to the coffin-bone, in 
which it is that the property of elasticity resides to that remarkable 
extent usually ascribed to the laminse themselves; indeed, so 
elastic is it found to be, that it can be made to stretch and recede 
the same as a piece of Indian rubber.” 
How simple and perfect a view of the elasticity of the foot 
is here presented !—no longer the five hundred and odd little 
springs, not one of which could by possibility be a spring; for 
at every point it w as tied down by its supposed surface of elonga¬ 
tion to the horny laminse, which could scarcely elongate at all. 
If I am to depend on the elasticity and play of a spring, I must 
give it room to play; if I attach it on either side to unyielding 
materials, I may as well not have it at all. 
The connexion between the sensitive and horny laminse is 
admirably yet also simply contrived, to give the most extensive 
as well as the strongest surface of attachment and support, and 
sufficient to counteract the greatest force that can be brought to 
bear upon it; but the elasticity of the foot depends on the 
mterposed substance between the crust and the coffin-bone, and 
which has room to elongate and to act as a spring when the 
coffin-bone descends. 
The object of this review, however, is to announce the publi¬ 
cation of “The Anatomy of the Horse.” The benefit which the 
student will derive from it when he makes it his companion in 
the dissecting-room; and the ease and satisfaction with which 
the practitioner will refresh his memory on many an important 
but half-forgotten point, will constitute its best praise. A know- 
