134 MR. GLOAG ON MR. TURNER’S LETTER. 
greatest respect for Mr. Turner as a gentleman of the highest 
talents and standing in the veterinary profession, and it is for 
this very reason that I cannot tacitly pass over his observation, 
but feel obliged to step forward in maintenance of my ground. 
Before Mr. Turner had made this remark, I think it would 
have only been fair towards me for him to have shewn in what 
respect the nature of these experiments on the dead foot militated 
against, or were in antagonism to, the natural action of the living 
foot; else, if this be not done, he surely cannot justly find fault 
with me for greatly increasing the sustained force or weight, 
which we naturally must expect would produce increased results 
of expansion. Mr. Turner also states, that these experiments 
were performed altogether on the dead foot. Here he is in 
error, as many of them were performed on the living foot, and the 
intention of the experiments on the dead foot was the more fully 
to prove the correctness of those observations which I had pre¬ 
viously made, by subjecting it to greater power and pressure, 
as also by enabling me carefully to observe the disposition and 
changes of the internal parts of the foot, whilst sustaining a 
weight, as near as I could make it, analogous to nature, and also 
when that weight was greatly increased. If such an inquiry is 
not legitimate, I must then bow to Mr. Turner’s decision. I 
should not have noticed his remarks, only that my silence would 
probably be construed into assent, and might, from the high 
standing of that gentleman, deter other members of the vete¬ 
rinary profession from a similar inquiry. 
Mr. Turner goes on to state, that there is one grand physio¬ 
logical fact, first demonstrated by Professor Coleman, namely, 
that the laminae are in themselves, by their attachments, able to 
sustain the weight of the animal, as shewn in the case quoted 
of a mare affected with canker in her hind feet. I know not 
whether he intends this remark to apply in any way to my 
experiments, though, from the reading of his paper, I can only 
draw that inference ; but how, or in what direction, the force 
of the blow falls, I am at a loss to know, since it has always 
been with me a recognised undisputed fact, and I know of 
nothing that I ever said or wrote which can cause a contrary 
inference to be drawn. In an inquiry such as the one in which 
I have been engaged, and which I hope will ultimately lead 
others to a more thorough searching investigation of the matter, 
facts positively established by experiment can alone be received. 
If every one were content to follow the long-beaten track, no 
discoveries would be made ; and, for my part, I shall feel 
quite contented if I have only said enough to set people on the 
qui vive, and cause them thoroughly to investigate this highly 
important subject. 
