i!«8 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



the stall, and of course a more minute exami- 

 nation was required ; on doing which, the 

 bones were heard to grate together at the 

 large and small pasterns. In consequence, the 

 Horse was immediately destroyed, and both 

 large and small pasterns were fractured in an 

 oblique direction ; one of the specimens the 

 owner presented me with. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE, SHEWING THE HIGH 

 AND 1.0W OPERATIONS. 



This plate of the nerve operations, shows 

 the two methods that have been commonly 

 employed in performing the operation of 

 neurotomy. It is of the greatest importance 

 to observe, that the nerve should be divided 

 with a very sharp knife. I always use the 

 neurotomy knife which you must be careful to 

 keep in good order. Some operators use curved 

 6istorys and scissors, which are superrtuoua. 

 When the division is made with scissors, that 

 part of the nerve may become numbed, and 

 tlien it is that the bulbous lump forms, much 

 to the disadvantage of the Horse as well as 

 the operation. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE. 



A represents the Horse's leg taken off a 

 few inches below the knee, and also the foot 

 removed. 



B the situation for the high operation. 



C the nerve running behind the artery. 



D the artery. 



E a blunt-ended needle armed with whity 

 brown thread to take up the nerve with : the 

 leason it is blunt is, to prevent injuring the 

 artery. 



F the two tenaculum employed to shew 

 llie parts ; the one on the left hand represents 

 Uie operator's finger drawing back the skin ; 



the right hand one, the finger of an assistant, 

 whilst the operator inserts the armed needle 

 under the nerve. Then proceed as before 

 described. 



G the situation of the low operation. 



1 remarked that I preferred performing the 

 high operation, or even a little higher than the 

 one marked in the plate. For when performed 

 in this part, the nervous communication with 

 the foot is more completely cut off", and the 

 cicatrix is quite out of the way of being struck 

 with the other foot. 



In this part the nerve lies rather deeper, 

 especially on the inside of the leg, than it does 

 nearer the fetlock-joint ; but there is no diffi- 

 culty in finding it, by carefully dissecting away 

 a little cellular membrane. Three quarters of 

 an inch of the nerve is quite enough to be cut 

 away, and the incision of the skin need not 

 exceed one inch. After the nerve has been 

 cut out, the wound should be closed by one 

 stich, and a linen bandage applied, moistened 

 with cold water, which let remain on for a 

 day or two, when remove, and dress, with 

 compound tincture of myrrh, and tow dipped 

 therein. Apply the bandage again. 



MODE OF PERFORMING THE OPERATION. 



The first thing to be done is to cast your 

 Horse in the most convenient and easy place 

 you can select. Let the leg you first intend 

 to operate upon out of the hobbles, and fasten 

 a piece of webbing round the pastern, to be 

 held firm by an assistant ; the leg resting on 

 a bundle of hay, or straw, to raise it up for 

 the convenience of the operator. All things 

 being thus ordered, the hair must be clipped 

 close off the part you intend operating upon, 

 whether it be for the high, or the low ope- 

 ration. Then have a bucket of water and 



