MR. GLOAG’S EXPERIMENTS ON HORSES’ FEET. 
445 
it. Mr. Gloag has, therefore, done this essential service (inde¬ 
pendently of what he has kindly done as a physiologist), he has 
placed practical men in a dilemma, out of which they cannot get: 
they must now carry out the latter practice in ordinary shoeing, or 
deny the physiology ; for the practice of paring the sole to obtain 
a “ spring,” and then binding the said spring up again by placing 
the heels of the hoof in juxta-position with the heels of the shoe 
when the foot is raised from the ground, is not carrying out the 
principles of shoeing horses, as derived from the physiology of the 
foot, namely, that of “ springs,” when put on the ground. As 
physiologists, it is really a matter of indifference to us whether it 
is carried out or not; but as practical men—and we are to all intents 
and purposes the directors of shoeing smiths—it is our duty to the 
public whenever these matters come under our controul, to see that 
these principles are carried out; and it is by the example of emi¬ 
nent veterinary practitioners only, and by their influence on their 
workmen, that so desirable an object as that proved by Mr. Gloag’s 
experiments to be correct, can be accomplished. Mr. Gloag, depend 
upon it, has not done with the subject; and it behoves practical men 
to observe carefully the results, without any bias from preconceived 
notions, which will not avail against one who uses the screw . 
Such kind of experiments are entirely his own. 
Mr. B. Clark and myself went for inquiry to the natural foot. 
Mr. Gloag, gentlemen, has proceeded logically to work, and stands 
out unanswered and unanswerable. This may, at present, happen 
from a supineness on the subject of shoeing horses; but, to use 
the words of an introductory lecture of one whom some of us have 
heard, “ to be considered to have knowledge of your profession is 
almost the only rank we can attain.” Is the veterinary practitioner 
to be thus shewn, by the custom of the shoeing smiths in certain 
cases, the true principles of shoeing, and yet not carry these out 
in ordinary practice 1 It is not for me to answer. 1 am one only, 
among many of the profession, whose lot in life is to carry it out 
in other countries. Mr. Gloag has very praiseworthily shewn you, 
that it is your own interest to carry it out also in England. 
Mr. Gloag could not be aware of any experiments of mine, for 
I never detailed any : he is one of yourselves, a practical man, 
and from whose experiments the proprietors of horses will, I make 
no doubt, through the profession, ultimately derive advantage by 
the action of the hoof being carried out in shoeing every horse. 
It is not only light horses, but heavy horses also, whose feet are 
destroyed by want of the use of the “ spring,” which is not pre¬ 
vented by any thing but custom : do away with this, and the 
public will derive immediate benefit; and in a few years, when 
the horses at present lame from ordinary shoeing are worked up, 
VOL. XXII. ‘ 3n 
