364 TENOTOMY. 



employable as a fulcrum, every time the maimed limb had to move 

 forward, the body sank down on that side as though it would have 

 fallen to the ground had it not been for the instantaneous transfer 

 of the weight upon the opposite (fore) leg. A compress was ap- 

 plied upon the leg to stanch the hemorrhage ; after which was 

 effected, the animal was turned out to take its chance, without any 

 bandage or application whatever to the incised leg. In this con- 

 dition, under circumstances apparently little favourable to union, 

 still did Nature's resources prove amply sufficient to heal up the 

 wounded parts ; and, in the course of time, to restore normal ac- 

 tion: insomuch that Mr. Cherry kept the ass for its lifetime after- 

 wards, using it for carrying his children, drawing a small water- 

 cart, &c. 



Contracted Sinews — which means contracted muscles — be- 

 ing the name given to the case for which TENOTOMY is performed, 

 and it being, so far as this operation is concerned, an unique case, 

 it will become my duty here to give some account of it. Of the 

 two sets of muscles provided for the motions of the fore limb, one 

 set, i\\Q flexors, bend the leg and foot; while the other set, the ex- 

 tensors, extend or straighten these parts : they are, consequently, 

 antagonists in action. But the flexors are more numerous and 

 powerful than the extensors. And owing to this superiority of 

 power, there is a continual (natural) endeavour on the part of the 

 flexor muscles to bend the leg, which they are only prevented from 

 carrying into effect by the counter-action of the extensors, aided 

 by the natural standing posture of the foot upon the ground. 

 Whenever, however, this equilibrium of action comes to be de- 

 stroyed, either through insufficient power in the extensors or excess 

 of it in the flexors, or through the want of that co-operation which 

 the ground affords so long as the foot continues placed upon it, the 

 flexors draw the heel up and the toe down to that extent that the 

 horse, on occasions, either treads upon the point of the toe exclu- 

 sively, or absolutely stands and walks upon the fronts of his fet- 

 lock joints. In such a condition as this, it is manifest, the animal 

 is rendered useless. Nor do I know of any thing that can save 

 him from slaughter except the operation now under our notice. I 

 shall give a case in illustration, and it is the earliest case of the 

 kind I find recorded in The Veterinarian. 



