ly all the diseases peculiar to the
foot, and the means of effecting a cure. They understand, also, what
sort of shoe is needed for the feet of different animals. Latterly
number of shoes have been invented and patented, all professing to be
exactly what is wanted to relieve and cure diseased feet of all kinds.
One man has a shoe he calls "_concave_," and says it will cure
contraction, corns, thrush, quarter-crack, toe-crack, &c., &c. But when
you come to examine it closely, you will find it nothing more than a
nicely dressed piece of iron, made almost in the shape of a half moon.
After a fair trial, however, it will be found of no more virtue in
curing diseases or relieving the animal than the ordinary shoe used by a
country smithy. Another inventive genius springs up and asserts that he
has discovered a shoe that will cure all sorts of diseased feet; and
brings at least a bushel basket full of letters from persons he declares
to be interested in the horse, confirming what he has said of the
virtues of his shoe. But a short trial of this wonderful shoe only goes
to show how little these persons understand the whole subject, and how
easy a matter it is to procure letters recommending what they have
invented.

Another has a "specific method" for shoeing, which is to cut away the
toe right in the center of the foot, cut away the bars on the inside of
the foot, cut and clean away all around on the inside of the hoof, then
to let the animal stand on a board floor, so that his feet would be in
the position a saucer would represent with one piece broken out at the
front and two at the back. This I consider the most inhuman method in
the art of shoeing. Turn this saucer upside down and see how little
pressure it would bear, and you will have some idea of the cruelty of
applying this "specific method." Sometimes bar-shoes and other
contrivances are used, to keep the inside of the foot from coming down.
But why do this? Why not get at once a shoe adapted to the spreading of
the foot. Tyrell's shoe for this purpose is the best I have yet seen. We
have used it in the Government service for two years, and experience has
taught me that it has advantages that ought not to be overlooked. But
even this shoe may be used to disadvantage by ignorant hands. Indeed, in
the hands of a blacksmith who prefers "his own way," some kinds of feet
may be just as badly injured by it as others are benefited. The United
States Army affords the largest