350 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



purulent matter ; if such be the case, the detached hom must 

 be removed, and the exposed parts dressed with a little tar. If 

 structural changes have not taken place, this plan of treatment 

 will usually be found effective ; but if the lameness continue 

 after a month has elapsed after the removal of the seton, all 

 treatment will be useless, and the animal should be put to slow 

 work, or the pain removed by neurotomy. 



This operation (neurotomy) is a very simple one, if care be 

 taken. The incisions ought always to be made in the hollows 

 immediately above the sides of the fetlock- joint, in order that 

 the inner cicatrix be protected from injury from the opposite 

 foot. Two methods of procedure were recommended by Pro- 

 fessor Sewell and others, namely, to perform above the fetlock, 

 called the " high operation," or below it, called the " low 

 operation." The high operation includes the division of the 

 trunks of the plantar nerves ; and the low, the division of their 

 posterior branches only. Had success attended the latter 

 method, it would have been the more satisfactory plan ; but 

 unfortunately it does not entirely remove the lameness. 



To operate successfully, the following rules must be followed : 

 — 1st. Clip the hair finely over the course of the nerve, that 

 is, immediately anterior to the anterior border of the perforans 

 tendon. 2d. Let the animal be made to stand in cold water 

 for an hour before operating; this lessens the tendency to 

 haemorrhage from the small vessels necessarily cut through. 

 od. Cast the animal carefully. The leg to be operated upon 

 must be removed from the hobble, but fastened to the hind 

 leg by the side-line extended from above the knee to the thigh ; 

 the foot pulled forward by a cord or strap tied round it, and 

 held by an assistant. It is necessary to extend the fetlock- 

 joint, or the incision might be accidentally carried into the 

 sesamoid bursa. Mh. Feel for the edge of the tendon, and cut 

 boldly but carefully down upon the nerve, exposing it without 

 dissecting the areolar tissue, hth. Divide the nerve as higli 

 up as the incision will admit, in order that the skin may over- 

 lap its exposed extremity, and dissect out at least an inch of 

 its length. The nerve is always divided at the superior part 

 of the wound, in order that the infliction of pain be not 

 repeated, as would be the case if the first division were made 

 below, ^th. When the nerve is removed, the lips of the wound 



