70 REMARKS ON THE FOOT OF THE HORSE. 
Now, although these are all gentlemen of first-rate eminence 
in the profession, 1 cannot refrain from remarking in this place, 
that the series of experiments which they instituted, and pub¬ 
lished in The Veterinarian of last year, in support of their 
schism, were, in my humble opinion, wholly inadequate to the 
purpose intended. Rude or clumsy experiments are certainly 
better than no experiments at all; but the dead foot confined in 
a vice, and the column of bones from the fetlock forced down by 
sledge hammer pressure, cannot be regarded as a test upon a 
subject which involves an investigation of the greatest nicetv. 
There is one great physiological fact, first made manifest by the 
late Professor Coleman, which will surely last out all time, and 
therefore must ever be respected in all theories upon the func¬ 
tions of the foot, viz. that the dove-tailed bond of union between 
the anterior and lateral surfaces of the coffin-bone and the crust 
of the hoof is alone competent to sustain the whole superincum¬ 
bent weight of the animal, without any assistance whatever from 
the base of the foot. 
The ingenious Professor, in the early career of his Professor¬ 
ship at the Veterinary College, availed himself of the following 
experiment:— 
One of his patients in the Institution was a mare with in¬ 
veterate canker of both fore feet; the entire base of the foot was 
destroyed by disease, being devoid of sole, frog, and bars ; but 
the crust and laminae remained sound. It happened that this 
said animal was addicted to kicking with both hind legs, when 
-standing in her stall. 
One day, assembling his pupils during her vagaries, he gave 
them ocular demonstration of the soundness of his theory; 
“ for,” said he, “ had it been otherwise, they must have seen 
her coffin-bones protrude through the hoofs to the ground.” 
The public at large are more interested in this question, 
directly and indirectly, than they dream of. 
Horse riding is more in vogue than ever by the fairest 
creatures of the creation, the ladies of Great Britain, as re¬ 
commended by the medical faculty, not only for the preser¬ 
vation of health, but in the young as conducive to physical 
development, expansion of the chest, and bloom to the coun¬ 
tenance. But in the artificial state of our roads this is not 
carried out without some personal risk to the lair equestrian. 
I allude to the security of tread of the steed's foot by way of 
diminishing the liabilities to falls from stumbling. I embrace 
this opportunity of advising them, whether they are sojourning 
in London or in the provinces, to encourage and patronise 
the certificated veterinary practitioner, whomsoever he may 
be, that may be found on inquiry to have especially de- 
