208 NEUROTOMY. 



The Metacarpal Nerves are double, one running down either 

 side of the leg ; while the metacarpal artery is single, and accom- 

 panies the nerve on the inner side. This renders the relative 

 course of one nerve different somewhat from that of the other. 



The internal Metacarpal Nerve, descending below the 

 knee, lies buried underneath a faschia spreading from the knee 

 upon the flexor tendons, wherefrom it is stretched across to the 

 cannon bone, ending below in a crescentic border, underneath 

 which, as under an arch-way, nerve, artery, and vein, are all seen 

 emerging in their course down the leg. In the first part of its 

 course the nerve runs close behind the artery, the vein being in 

 front, a relative position which it (the vein) maintains throughout 

 its subsequent course to the foot. About one-third of the length 

 of the cannon downwards, the nerve detaches the communicating 

 branch, so called from its uniting with the nerve on the outer side, 

 which it does, after obliquely crawling round the back of the flexor 

 tendons, at about the distance (measured in a straight line) of two 

 inches and a half below its place of origin. After sending off* this 

 branch, the trunk more inclines in its passage downwards from the 

 posterior to the inner side of the artery, and maintains this relation 

 down as low as the fetlock joint. There, as it commences making 

 its curve outward to meet the swell of the fetlock, the nerve gives 

 rise to a branch almost as large as itself, and which takes a similar 

 course, inclining however forward, and running between the plantar 

 artery and vein, sending off" in its way filaments to the fetlock and 

 pastern, and finally distributing its terminating fibres upon the 

 lateral and fore parts of the coronet. In addition to this anterior 

 branch, the metacarpal nerve (or else the plantar nerve) detaches 

 di posterior branch; and this takes its course between the plantar 

 artery and plantar nerve, after crossing over the former, as well as 

 over the ligament of the pad ; so that, in fact, it is quite superficial. 

 Its destination is the substance of the frog. Neither of these 

 branches (the anterior and posterior) are meddled with in neu- 

 rotomy. It is 



The Plantar Nerve — the continuation of the trunk (or meta- 

 carpal) nerve that becomes the subject of neurotomy whenever the 

 low operation, as it is called, is contemplated. In the first part of 

 its course, upon the side of the fetlock, this nerve inclines back- 



