8 Feb., 1907.] 



Diseases of Farm Animals. 



69 



furnishes a convenient aid to the memory as to the relative position of 

 each. The nerve is immediately in front of the border of the perforans 

 tendon, which should be taken as a guide in making the incision, about 

 one inch above the fetlock. 



'■^^ji, ,:<^\ 



Fig. 8. — (i) Seat of neurectomy ot Fig. 9. — (i) Seat of neurectomy of 



median nerve. (2) Seat of high neurec- anterior tibial nerve. (2) Plantar nerve 

 tomy, v^^ith plantar nerve exposed. (3) of hind limb exposed at seat of high 

 Seat of low neurectomy, with digital neurectomy. (3) Exposed tendon of 

 nerve exposed. peroneus muscle, sometimes operated on 



in spavin. 



The horse requires tO' be throavn for the operation, and it is also 

 advisable that he should be chloroformed, or, at all events, that local 

 anaesthesia should be produced by the injection of cocaine. (See page 58.) 

 To avoid excessive bleeding, a tourniquet or tight bandage should be 

 applied above the knee, with special pressure along the course of the 

 radial artery. The part to be operated on should have the hair clipped 

 off, and be sponged with alcohol or other antiseptic. 



After a vertical incision about an inch long is made, it may be neces- 

 sary, especially in the case of underbred horses, to dissect away a little 

 of the fascia, in order to cleanly expose the nerve. The nerve is then 

 lifted with a pair of forceps, and a narrow blade introduced beneath — 

 — (see Figs. 8 and 9) — to separate it from the artery and deeper 

 structures. The nerve is about the same thickness as the artery, and 

 somewhat resembles it, but may be readily distinguished from it bv the 

 absence of pulsation and by its fibrated (longitudinal) structure. Having 

 raised the nerve, it should be severed across at the upper end of the 

 incision, and a piece from half an inch to an inch long dissected out and 

 cut away. The wound may then be dressed with antiseptics, and a single 

 suture inserted ; and, the operation having been repeated on the other 



