198 NEUROTOMY. 



as those inimical to it are out of the profession. When men in the 

 veterinary profession set themselves up in hostility against it, we 

 feel anxious to learn the reason of their opposition; and therefore it 

 is that I am now about to make a quotation from a veterinarian of 

 high standing and talent of our own country, running, I am sorry 

 to say, in words as follows : — " They (the opposers of his opinions 

 and discoveries ' on the foot of the horse') have added a barbarity 

 surpassing in refined cruelty even the unsoling or any other cruelty 

 ever proposed by the old farriers, that of nerving the horses' legs 

 when they were not relieved by their injudicious measures, and so 

 destroyed the very fundamental properties of the foot, instead of 

 pursuing the natural and most obvious means of prevention and 

 relief from the evil. Seeing and deeply feeling the very great 

 injury done to the animals, as well as to the public and ourselves, 

 we cannot on such an occasion but express warmly our natural, 

 and we believe just, indignation at such conduct*." 



I shall wind up this defence of neurotomy with a paragraph 

 from my own "Lectures," published, now, four-and-twenty years 

 ago : — " The incurably lame and useless horse is him alone for 

 whom I recommend it (neurotomy) : my object being to render 

 an animal serviceable during the remainder of his life, who, other- 

 wise, must have been given up, as utterly valueless, for slaughter. 

 No one who has given the subject of neurotomy the least reflec- 

 tion can imagine that the operation was ever intended to super- 

 sede other remedies. The very nature of it is such that, as a 

 dernier resource, it is applicable only to a desperate and hopeless 

 case ; and if it succeed in restoring one of this description, it is of 

 more value and consideration to us than if it were only applicable 

 to such as we can relieve by other and simpler means. In conclu- 

 sion, let me remark, that I do not recommend such horses being 

 raced, hunted, or put to any other (like) extraordinary exertions. 

 They may be driven in harness, and are more especially qualified 

 for four-wheeled carriages or for leaders in others : in short, for 

 situations where no weight is incumbent upon the fore feet. 



"In this point of view — its objects being thus circumscribed — I 

 dare prophecy that neurotomy will be known as long as the vete- 



* " The Foot of the Horse." By Bracy Clark, p. 06. 



