366 TENOTOMY. 



shall next transcribe, from the seventh volume of The VETERINA- 

 RIAN, a well-narrated case of unsuccessful result ; one that will 

 serve to put us on our guard against harbouring vain hopes our- 

 selves, and holding out too flattering prospects to others. 



Mr. J. Holford, V.S., Middlewich, was applied to concerning a 

 valuable horse, nine years old, who from a kick upon the off hind 

 leg received two years before, for which he had been blistered 

 repeatedly and once fired, had come to work gradually worse upon 

 the limb, until at last he came to walk upon the point of his toe. 

 His owner had been told that the heel might be brought down 

 upon the ground again through an operation, and it was on this 

 account that Mr. Holford was consulted. He accordingly operated. 

 In six weeks afterwards the patient was in a state to be turned to 

 grass, " without much perceptible lameness." In three months he 

 shewed no lameness, placing his heel down " apparently with as 

 much facility as the other." Another month's grace was given 

 him, and he was then put to work (which was drawing a fly-boat 

 along a canal), but had not proceeded eight miles before he began 

 to walk lame. The owner sent him home greatly disappointed, 

 and gave liim six weeks' longer rest. He was again taken to work, 

 but not allowed to do more than half what other horses did. For 

 two months he kept up at it ; then, once more walked upon his 

 toe, though " not so much as before." At the time of this report 

 of his case he is, with a lever shoe upon his foot, turned out for a 

 winter's run, not worth £10; " whereas, had he done well, three 

 times that amount would not have bought him." 



In the same (the seventh) volume of The Veterinarian, se- 

 veral cases are given by Mr. Young, V.S., of Muirhead, Garnkirk, 

 N. B. In one horse, whose off" fore leg was much thickened, had 

 been fired, and was so much contracted that " he could put the tip 

 of the toe only to the ground," he "cut the leg," as the operation is. 

 there called; and the result was, although under unfavourable cir- 

 cumstances from the distance the patient was at, that "at the end of 

 nine weeks he was drawing a cart." The leg remained " thick," 

 but was " straight," and the foot treads " in the natural position." 

 " The owner said he was as strong on the cut leg as on the other." 



These cases will be sufficient to shew the variable success, de- 



