750 
EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
A new shoe has been adopted by the tramways here (Ger¬ 
many), by whose aid more ground is traversed than with the 
usual shoe. This is made of Bessemer steel, and applied to 
the foot cold ; it is maintained without the use of nails, by 
means of a bent hook extending half way to the coronary band. 
To prevent the shoe slipping when heavily loaded, there are 
three steel points upon the superior surface of each shoe ; 
these penetrate the sole of the foot. 
According to a communication from “ Hufschmid,” Prof. 
Schmidt reports that the metacarpus of a horse weighing 
one thousand pounds sustains a weight of three hundred 
pounds ; the weight supported by the metatarsus is about 
one hundred pounds less. These figures are somewhat in¬ 
creased in horses having high knee action. 
Optical Disturbance as Sequelce of Canine Distemper. —A 
setter, which had passed through the various stages of dis¬ 
temper without exhibiting any nervous symptoms, manifested 
as sequence therefrom a disturbance of an optical nature which 
finally occasioned total blindness. The pupils were excessive¬ 
ly dilated, but there could be detected no alteration of the 
cornea, or within the anterior chamber. 
The fundament of the retina when examined by the oph¬ 
thalmoscope was seen studded with pale yellow papillae cir¬ 
cumscribed by a white ring. The vessels accompanying the 
ramifications of the optic nerve were dark red and congested ; 
those of the retina, on the contrary, were pale and contracted. 
From these observations the case was diagnosed as one of 
atrophy of the fifth pair, associated with congested papillae. 
Injections of strychnine (0.02 grms., 5.0 aq. distillat) every 
third day, together with strong diet. Partial recovery fol¬ 
lowed ; never completely healed. 
Effect of Intense Degrees of Cold upon Animals .—Colin had 
twenty years previous made observations upon this subject 
and reported the same to the Paris society. These were op¬ 
posed to the supposition that small animals parted with their 
