and allowing for the weight carried and the hill, the winner in the average of years will make 396 strides in the race, which number, representing the action of one foot, and as each foot performs the same exertion, and is implanted the same number of times, it will give 1584 steps as the number of leverage points necessary to win the race, or that which the forward horses in it perform. Again supposing the same horses to run, with the same weights, on Newmarket Heath, the distance of six furlongs, the number of strides will only be about 177, or 708 steps, the proportionate smaller number being due to the increased speed at which the race is run. Another example: Let two race-horses run a mile, the one to give the other 300 yards start, and both to be ridden with such knowledge of pace as to enable the last horse to catch the one on the post that started first, when the first horse will be found to have taken an ascertainable number of strides more than the last that started, which ran the ground over in the shortest time. One of the objects contemplated in the above analysis is to afford a clear view of what gives the stride-not length of limb necessarily, but form, and the measure of force which is exerted on the ground. The weight of the animal does not entirely represent the degree of pressure which is exerted on the arches of the foot. I believe that the race-horse, taking into account his form and character, and his trained powers, exerts much more pressure on the bearing points of his foot than the heavier horse does in slow work; and, accordingly, we see that the blood-horse has more concave and naturally stronger feet than the common or slower horses. I use the word feet, and not hoofs, because it applies to the whole structure-the arches of bone and sole especially. In conclusion, I beg to state, that if, in my endeavours to set the actual state of knowledge on the economy of the horse's foot, I have laboured long and ardently, I have to acknowledge that opportunities have been afforded me, which it was as much my duty, as it has been my inexpressible pleasure to cultivate; and in making mention of the helps in my more recent labours, I may truly say that, but for the establishment of the New Veterinary College, I could never have worked out the material which thirty years' practice and observation have enabled me to store up. The next thing which more directly than any other incident opened up to me new means for settling some pending questions, was the acquisition of the skeleton of Eclipse by the New Veterinary College; in connection with the above incident must be taken the merits due to the late Mr Bracy Clark, for having, out of pure love for veterinary science, preserved so valuable a relic. The late philosophic member of our profession did that which all promoters of knowledge should do, he left his specimens, consisting of casts, bones, and other material, from which he had arrived at his conclusions, not always correct, as may be expected of a man working in a field little cultivated and surrounded by many difficulties. VOL. V.-No. XXXVI. APRIL, 1863. 2 E By the praiseworthy conduct of Clark, who, imitating Hunter, left not alone his books, but his specimens, I have been able the better to read his works and to enjoy his originality of thought, whilst some steps by which his views took a wrong course on practical points have been made evident to me. By the same means of reference we can see, by the Eclipse skeleton, the totally unreliable work composed by the late Sain Bel. Obscure questions respecting the history of veterinary science during the last hundred years are made plain by these relics. I have also to acknowledge aid from the work of Dr Carson on the Form of the Horse, in which especially he drew attention to the horse alighting on the posterior region of the foot. Mr James Lupton must share that merit also, he having advanced the same views, and, though later, I believe independently. These opinions published, did good, though they brought out more contradictions than assent; and it was these open and contesting exposures that really made us acquainted with more of the dark side of the questions than could have been anticipated, had not some discussion been elicited. The annexed illustrations represent the arches of pedal bone, and the sole of a fore and hind foot. The drawings were executed from transverse sections through the pedal bones, so as to show the arch most distinctly; the section of the whole hoof was made in the same way, transversely from the upper margin of the wall, down throughout its extent, including sole and frog below. Figs. 1 and 2, show the pedal bone and hoof of a fore-foot. On examining these structures, the somewhat different functions of fore and hind feet become more apparent to us; corresponding with the external character, and what may be observed in the action of the horse. The fore foot sustains most weight, covers a larger surface than the hind, and the arch, both of sole and bone, is scarcely so high in the fore as in the hind foot, whilst its breadth and sustaining power is greater. In the hind, again, as we endeavour to interpret its action, we are aided by observing the arched structures, which we find corresponding to the more obtuse exterior point, a more considerable concavity of sole and relatively arched form of pedal bone, and that the hind foot is narrower, more pointed, and more concave-all properties adapting it to embrace a firm hold on the ground. Importations of Foreign Stock into England. NOTWITHSTANDING the prevalence of disease on the Continent, more especially in Holland and Schleswig-Holstein, and the reduced supplies of really good beasts and sheep now on hand for export purposes, the arrivals of foreign stock into this country during the first two months of the present year were on an extensive scale, the total imports having amounted to 22,393 head. This large number was shipped from the undermentioned ports: IMPORTS OF FOREIGN STOCK INTO LONDON IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1863. In order more fully to illustrate the extent of our foreign supplies, we insert the following comparison, embracing the first two months of each year:— COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF IMPORTS. We are naturally led to inquire into the condition in which the stock has arrived this season, in order to ascertain how much disease we continue to import, and how far we are justified in allowing an admixture of foreign beasts and sheep with our own in the open markets; and this has become the more necessary from the period being pretty close at hand during which large purchases will, no doubt, be made as usual in the metropolitan cattle market for grazing purposes. We may observe, then, that the merinos reported from Germany, via Hamburgh, have reached London in wretchedly poor condition, notwithstanding that some of them have shown signs of crossing with some of our best breeds. They have not, however, exhibited any outward traces of disease; but we do not hesitate to affirm that they are unfit for human consumption; and, further, that they have imported the seeds of destruction to our own flocks. What would be said of our native sheep-two and three years old -producing, as is the case with those received from Germany, only from 178. to 22s. each? The great difficulties experienced in producing even moderately-fat sheep in that country, the great ravages produced by disease, both here and abroad, make it imperative on the part of the Legislature to adopt measures of a stringent character to prevent repetitions of the disasters experienced last year, arising from an unrestricted admixture of foreign sheep with our own breeds. Need we point to Wiltshire and some of the adjoining districts in support of our views embracing necessary caution? Last year, it will be recollected, great alarm was shown in that country, owing to the rapid progress of small-pox. The flock-masters suffered severely from the ravages of that disease; and the consumers of animal food in London and elsewhere were in a state of alarm. What guarantee have we that the same state of things may not prevail this year? Orders in Council are of very little value, when disease has spread itself over a large portion of the kingdom. It can be very little consolation to a breeder or grazier to be told that everything will be done to prevent an increase in a particular epidemic; but, if we continue to neglect even ordinary precautions, how is a repetition of last year's severe losses to be avoided? Our impression is, that fully onethird of the sheep imported in the first two months of the present year ought not to have been allowed admission into our markets, because we must bear in mind that disease has frequently shown itself amongst them a very few days after being landed. If, therefore, there is, even at this time of the year, so much danger to apprehend from infection, what may we anticipate in the summer months, however close may be the inspection at the Custom House? The Dutch beasts have certainly not improved, either in point of quality or condition, and not a few of them have been suffering from congestive lungs-in fact, we pronounce them unwholesome food. Most of them, however, have gone into consumption, as the feeders, almost generally, have declined to speculate in foreign breeds, owing to the severe losses experienced by them in former seasons. The prices realized have been from L.17 to L.22 each-not high rates considering the quantity of fat carried by some of them, though low compared with the value of English and Scotch breeds. But even the increased importations from abroad have had no influence upon the value of any kind of meat. Within the last few weeks, prime beasts have realized 5s. and even 5s. 2d.; and prime sheep, in the wool, 6s. |