40 
A. ZUNDEL. 
of continuity, thrushes, canker ; others deeper interest, specially 
the keratogenous apparatus, such as laminitis , with its complica 
tions and . sequelae, keraphylocele, seedy toe, and separation of the 
wall, which may extend as far as entire sloughing of the hoof; 
accidents then due to the suppuration accompanying several dis¬ 
eases of the foot. Some maladies are specially the effects of 
wounds, of contusions such as overreachiny , quittor, bruised sole , 
bruised heels, corns, punctured wounds; others are results of 
shoeing, pricked , tight shoe, burned sole ; others are deep alto¬ 
gether, sucli as boinons, navicular disease , and, lastly, fracture 
of the os pedis, or of the navicular bone. 
VICES OF CONFORMATION. 
Amongst the vices of conformation some are serious, as con¬ 
traction of the heels, flat foot, pumiced foot, chib foot, crooked foot, 
rammy foot, and, lastly th e, foot with bad horn. 
(a) Flat foot (Germ. Platfuss).—By this is understood the foot 
in which the sole, instead of having the natural concavity, is, on 
the contrary, flat, and by its whole surface about on a level with 
the border of the wall and the base of the frog ; most ordinarily 
this is accompanied with low heels, more or less contraction, and 
a well-marked oblique direction of the wall. 
Flat foot is generally observed only on front feet, and is very 
common in lymphatic animals or of low breed, raised in low and 
damp soils. It may be congenital; large feet, badly shod or 
used up by an exaggerated work, are predisposed to it; it is 
claimed that the weakening of the sole by too repeated and deep 
paring of the sole will ultimately bring it on; it is said that 
abuse of poultices may produce it; it follows excess of the hol¬ 
lowing of the shoe by the upper surface, which, pushing the wall 
outwards, obliges the sole to drop lower than its normal level. J 
The horse with flat foot rests on parts of the sole at once ; 
there is no elasticity of the arch of the sole, and percussions take 
place on it entirely. The actions of the animal are heavy, especially 
as it is commonly seen when the feet are large. When the foot is 
somewhat tender, the animal lames easily, especially if the shoeing 
is bad, or rests on the sole or if the animal is obliged to trot on 
