I 
ATROPHY OF THE PLANTAR CUSHION. 461 
shoeing, of excessive fitting of the shoes, of high actions, &c., 
are of little importance, and will he mentioned only for order. 
5th. But that which for many, has contributed to keep the 
idea of primordiality of the contraction of the foot, is the lame¬ 
ness which follows it. It has been so much believed that in hoof- 
bound, the lameness was due to the pressure of the intra horny 
tissues, and specially of the libro-elastic apparatus of the foot, that 
the name of the disease is made out from it.* If, however, the 
lameness was due to the compression of the intra horny tissues, 
this lameness ought to increase instead of diminishing by exer¬ 
cise ; as it is then that the blood flows in greater quantity. 
Again, it is not illogical to admit that the pain and conse¬ 
quently the lameness may exist without pressure of the living tis¬ 
sues. Besides the changes of connections that the atrophied 
plantar cushion brings on amongst the organs situated in the pos¬ 
terior region of the hoof, especially if the contraction is more 
marked on one side, the internal, as generally the case, this organ 
becomes more dense, more compact, more tenacious, almost en¬ 
tirely fibrous, and, as says M. B uley, it is no longer susceptible 
to perform its physiological functions. Becoming fibrous, it 
loses its suppleness, and becomes, therefore, unfit for the office 
of pad for amortizement; its connections with the velvety tissue 
are then more sensitive, more painful ; its secretion is altered, 
diminished; hence the atrophy of the frog. 
The terminal expansion of the perforaus resting no longer upon 
an elastic pad, cannot any more receive the pressure of the nav¬ 
icular bone, without manifest pain ; it is for this reason that the 
lame leg is carried forward as much as possible to relieve itself. 
Coming out of the stable, the animal hesitates, advances with 
short paces, straightens the phalangeal axis, to throw the rest, as 
much as possible, upon the os pedis. It is only when repeated 
pressures, have, so to say, removed the sensibility of the painful 
tissues, and especially of the plantar aponeurosis, that the lame¬ 
ness diminishes and sometimes even disappears. Such is the ani¬ 
mal chafed by the collar : at first he hesitates, but soon warming 
* Eneastelure, from in a castellum. 
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