The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-03-02
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WHAT A HORSES FOOT IS.
Its Marvellous Anatomy and How it Should
Be Treated.

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In lecture on the horses foot Pro-
fessor Duncan MacEachran, of McGill
University, Canada, proceeded to describe
briefly and to illustrate by sections and
diagrams the wonderful structure of the
foot, first the bone forming the distal ends
of the four extremities, articulated in such
manner and degree Of obliquity as to
minimize conclusion, next the wonderful
arrangement OF the soft tissues covering
the bones overrun and intersected by net
won Ks of blood vessels and nerve tbcrs,
firmly attached to the bone, yet so disposed
as to not only secrete the horn, but to keep
secreting it while the animal lived, to carry
on these functions even while exposed to
compression and conclusion from the enor-
nous loads which it had to bear from the
weight of the animal, his burden and TIE
momentum of his movements, yet so per-
feet was the arrangement that seldom
indeed did We find that even blood vessel
was ruptured or tissue bruised, so long
as it WAS left in natural condition. He
next showed the beautiful dovetailcd con-
necton of the hoof to the sensitive or soft
tissues, a model and diagram being used
to illustrate. The structure of the wall.
sole and frog were explained. He then
spoke OF the foot as whole and declared
it perfect in structure, perfect in function,
and as proved by the horse in state OF
nature perfect protection for the sensi
tive foot within.
"Why mutlate so perfect a structure :?
The protection of this horny foot cover, as
the hoof may be called, from wear and tear
caused by constant use on the hard roads
Of civilization, by an iron rim OF shoe is
necessary for the full utilization Of the
animals powers and usefulness. 1t has
been truly called a necessary evil, as our
own foot covers are, yet surely the foot can
be protected without our having to chron.
icle rs per cent. of the lameness, of the
fore feet at least, being due to faulty shoe
ing. With the farrier I would plead for
the poor ht 49,, to see to it that he himself
and his woIkmen are taught something at
least of the anatomy and physiology of the
horses foot, to think of it as wry sensi-
tive, highly organized structure and not
thoushtessly to cut away as useless that
horny sole, SO necessary to prot ct the
tender soc which il covers. Do not orch
it by appl, ing, while fitting, too hot shoe.
In fitting the shoe remember that it is to
main on night and day. It il not to he
removed at bedtime, rs your own. If it
twists and distorts the foot and parts of the
limb above it, there is no relief from tn,
torment of cramp and sprain; if it presses
hard on "A sensitive part, being firmly nailed
on, the horse must suffer night and day.
In mailing the shoe on he careful that the
nails do not p, ess on Or penetrate the SEN
sitive parts. The horse cannot remove it,
and the careless groom may not notice it
for days If YOU would but think of the
which POOR horses III dergo from
' our carelesSncss or Ignorance, You would
treat the foot less as an insensible block of
wood.
''ro the owner would say: II You can
afford to keep horse, if you require the
tie services OF "a horse, deal with him as
you would with any other of your assist
ants. lie cannot take care of himself; you
m hire tp taEn IF hin,
Think Of him almost as sensitive as your
self, having plesurabie feelings and suffer
ing pain in not much less degree than
yourself or any member of your family,
and let the thought iniluence you when
you hire his caretaker. Don't let few
dollars month influence you in the choice
between good and bad groom. If you
would think of the unhappy days and
sleepess nights Of many horses, owing to
the neglect of their feet by ignorant 81
dissipated erooms, YOU would give your
stable more personal supervision, and you
would see that your groom not only knew
what was necessary to procure the comfort
vi bul holSt III iiic management vi HIS
feet, but that he would attend to and put
into practice such knowledge. Owners
sometimes cause great suffering by penur-
iousness and a false economy about shooting
bills and stable expenses.
''To the public would say you can do
much to protect the foot of the horse and
save him from suffering. Are you mer
chant? See to it that your men think of
the poor horses which deliver and remove
your goods when breaking up packing
boxes, sweeping out nails into lanes and
back streets. When tell you that a large
number of valuable horses are lost annu-
ally, particularly those horses handling
railway goods, owing to carelessness in this
respect nails penetrating the frog or sole
of the foot, producing most painful and
often incurable wounds of the deep struc-
lures of the foot, you will see that it is
your duty to give this your consideration.
This is subject, in fact, which should call
for civic legislation, for it is but right that
the horses should be protected from the
suffering thus inflicted and their owners
from such serious preventable losses. Z"