TENOTOMY. 363 



nostrum for their relaxation and relief, yet has the description, 

 brief as it is, remained, in a practical view, unsurpassed, and the 

 ailment without a remedy, up to the time of the improvement which 

 farriery in our own country underwent some few years anterior to 

 the introduction of veterinary medicine as a science. 



All the history I am able to glean of the suggestion and prac- 

 tice of an operation which has proved — so far as remedy can be 

 expected to turn out — of effective service in such distortion of limb, 

 is to be found in the third volume of The Veterinarl\n (for 

 1830.) In a communication therein '' Of the Edinburgh Veterinary 

 School," from the late Mr. Castley, at page 309, we read that 

 " Mr. Dick's (the present veterinary professor at Edinburgh's) father 

 occasionally practised this operation many years ago ; and I (Mr. 

 Castley) have heard it said, but I know not how far that may be 

 correct, some other person in Scotland." 



The earliest intimation I had myself of the operation was, many 

 years ago, through some articles on the subject in the Sporting 

 Magazine, by Professor Dick. I must confess, at the time, the 

 operation, so purely mechanical, and so far unsurgical, as it appeared 

 in my eyes, created in my mind anything but a favourable impres- 

 sion. In theory I felt myself decidedly opposed to it. Nor was it 

 anything short of putting it with my own hand to the test that con- 

 vinced me of its practicability, without its being followed by those 

 unpropitious consequences which in my own imagination I had 

 conjured up as so many drawbacks against such an operation. 



Mentioning the subject, in May 1833, to Mr. Cherry — the pre- 

 sent Principal Veterinary Surgeon of the Army — it was resolved 

 between us that the operation should be put to the test ; and he 

 having at the time a young ass in his possession, proposed that the 

 animal should be subjected to an experiment which certainly en- 

 tailed but little pain, and out of which benefit to science seemed 

 likely to arise without the necessity of permanently laming or 

 even of much disfiguring the animal. Accordingly, both flexor 

 tendons of one fore leg were divided with a scalpel, and with them, 

 unfortunately, owing to a struggle made at the instant, the meta- 

 carpal artery. The division at once let down the heel of the hoof 

 more completely upon the ground, while the toe inclined to turn 

 up ; and when the animal came to walk, the toe. no longer being 



