444 THE HORSE. 



cutaneous incision of the flexor tendons is made, which is generally 

 sufficient, but if not the pulley is adopted for a few days. Some- 

 times the tail is carried on one side, and then a similar operation 

 by subcutaneous division of the tendons on the side to which the 

 tail is carried will have the desired effect, always taking care in 

 each case to keep the knife clear of a joint. 



UNNERVING. 

 The nerves distributed to the foot are sometimes divided for 

 navicular disease, as they lie on each side of the bone above the 

 fetlock joint. No one, however, should attempt this operation 

 without having previously seen it performed, as it requires con- 

 siderable dexterity for its due execution. I have described such 

 operations as may be wanted in the parts of the country where a 

 veterinary surgeon cannot always be reached, but unnerving is but 

 seldom required, and I shall therefore omit any detailed account 

 of it. 



REDUCTION OF HERNIA. 



Hernia is sometimes strangulated; that is to say, the protrud- 

 ing portion of bowel is confined in its situation by such pressure 

 on its neck as to cause danger of mortification. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, if it is found to be impossible to return the bowel by 

 careful manipulation, an operation must be performed. This con- 

 sists in carefully dissecting through the coverings of the bowel, 

 and when it is exposed, a long and narrow guarded knife (Bistouri 

 cacM) is passed by the side of the intestine through the opening 

 into the abdomen, and then making the blade prominent it is with- 

 drawn, and the fibres causing the pressure are divided. This 

 usually allows of the bowel being passed back again into the 

 abdomen, when the operation is completed by bringing the parts 

 together with one or two stitches. 



When hernia occurs in the colt either at the navel or 

 scrotum, it is often desired to eSect a cure by returning the bowel 

 and causing the opening to close by adhesive inflammation. If 

 the colt is uncut, the performance of the covered operation on the 

 French plan (see page 443) will generally succeed, great care 

 being of course necessary to return the intestine before the clams 

 are applied. In umbilical hernia a similar plan has been tried, 

 but the adhesion is too superflcial to be of much use ; and the only 

 successful method is the passage of one or two skewers through 

 the opposite edges of the opening, and then winding some waxed 

 twine round them, with a moderate degree of force. This should 

 not be sufficient to cause mortification, or the opening will only be 

 increased in size, and the bowel will protrude without any covering 

 of skin; but it should be just sufficient to cause adhesive inflam- 



