366 
A. LIAUTAB.D. 
sure thrown upon itself, but also a part of that resting upon 
the perforans. Let us mention also that the part of pressure 
of rest thrown upon the flexor tendons is so much greater 
that the phalangial axis is more oblique; “ in such a way 
that in a given time of the pressure, when the phalangial 
axis assumes an almost horizontal direction, as, for instance, in 
the actions of fast running, the entire mass of the body may be 
supported by these elastic cords.”* 
B.—The other portion of the pressure of rest, that which we 
have seen following the phalangial axis, arrives at the infe¬ 
rior extremity of the os coronse, after being reinforced on a 
level with the superior part of this bone, by the traction exer¬ 
cised at that point by the perforatus tendon. Let us add that the 
action of this last power takes place from forward backwards, 
while that of the original pressure acts upon the os pedis from 
above below, and from backwards forwards. 
The intensity of these two forces—that rising at the articula¬ 
tion of the fetlock and following the axis of the bony column, 
and that which is thrown back on that column by the perforatus 
—is, so to speak, inverse ; the straighter the phalangial column 
is, the weaker this second force, and the stronger is the action 
of the first; while reciprocally, the more oblique is the phalangial 
column, the more powerful is the action of the force thrown back 
by the perforatus upon the bony column. 
In both cases, the sum of these two forces is transmitted to 
the pedal apparatus in a different manner, whether the phalan¬ 
gial column is straightened or oblique. In the first case, when, 
for instance, the leg is ready to leave the ground, the pressure of 
rest is received almost entirely by the os pedis. When, on the 
contrary, the phalangial column is bent backward, this pressure 
carries its action on the navicular bone. Then, if we bear in 
mind that it is precisely at this moment that the power, whose 
action takes place from forward backward, is at its maximum of 
strength, we are brought to the conclusion that the pressure then 
acting on the navicular bone, is enormous. 
Upon the mode of repartition of the pressure of rest we do 
* H. Bouley, Traits de l’Organisation du pied. 
