262 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE 
This foot was moderately concave, and a fair foot in every way 
for the experiment. 
The width of the foot was most carefully measured by fine 
calipers, an even surface being first made on each side of the 
quarters by a file, and a directing point made for future measure¬ 
ment To prevent any mistake, the calipers were then fixed by 
the screw, and the exact dimensions transferred to paper. A flat 
plate of iron was then laid against the under part of the foot, and a 
piece of wood fitted to the articulatory surface of the small pastern, 
as in the preceding experiments, and the foot was put into the 
vice, the flat iron and the piece of wood being the opposing points. 
Very powerful pressure was applied, and whilst under this 
pressure, which was as great as, I fancied, the foot could sustain, 
I measured it at the quarters, to see if it were expanded, and 
I thought that the foot, whilst in the vice, appeared to be wider by 
the thickness of a common playing-card. 
Observation .—The pressure employed only stopped short of 
destruction of the foot; and as so little result was obtained, I 
think it only fair to conclude that, under any common circum¬ 
stances, we may consider it to be inappreciable. 
9 tli Experiment , 
On the dead fore foot of a cart-horse,—sole moderately concave. 
A section of the anterior part of the hoof was made, so as to 
include a small portion of the toe of the coffin-bone, with a view of 
ascertaining whether the coffin-bone advanced or receded or de¬ 
scended through pressure. In this case the hoof was used which 
had the piece taken out at the quarter, and both points were exa¬ 
mined ; namely, the toe and heel of the coffin-bone. A flat plate 
of iron laid even on the foot to the heels was used, and the piece 
of wood fitted to the coronet bone as before, and pressure applied 
in a large vice at these opposing surfaces. 
Result .—I could not detect any advance, or descent, or receding, 
of the toe of the coffin-bone, or of its heels, by any pressure short 
of destruction of the foot; and what astonished me most was, that 
whilst the contents of the hoof were under this enormous pressure, 
I could with the greatest ease, by the force of my finger and thumb 
to the sole, cause a yielding of the sole and a squirting out of 
blood from between the horny and sensible sole, evidently shewing 
that, although this great pressure was employed, the sensible sole 
had not descended upon the horny sole. 
Observation. — This experiment is, I consider, a strong proof of 
the non-descent of the horny sole, except inasmuch as it may do so 
together with the slight yielding backwards of the whole foot, 
