370 LAMENESS ARISING FROM LACERATION OR 



Nor indeed should very young horses, whose limbs have become 

 crooked from over-growth and weakness, be made the subjects ; 

 since their deformities, like those of children, admit very frequently 

 of relief by other and simpler means, and with the accession of 

 strength through aids of art appropriate for them, right themselves. 

 Tenotomy may likewise fail of success from the operation being 

 unskilfully or ineffectually performed. Or, the after-treatment 

 may prove injudicious or even hurtful, frustrating the good which 

 the operation would otherwise have certainly effected. 



The UTMOST we can expect from Tenotomy is to render a 

 horse useful for certain purposes, who, before the performance of 

 the operation on him, was in a condition of utter uselessness. If we 

 restore a cart-horse to the plough where the land makes his work 

 comparatively light; — if we can make a used-up hunter serviceable 

 for harrow or dung-cart ; — if we can send horses, good for nothing 

 in their present state, to work in fly-boats, road vans, brick or sand 

 mills, &c. &c., we most assuredly confer thereby, quoad hoc, good 

 service on the public, to say nothing about the humanity of saving 

 life whenever and wherever it may happen to be in jeopardy. As 

 with neurotomy, we have had evidence of tenotomy being over- 

 valued and misapplied. Each operation has its legitimate sphere 

 of applicability and usefulness ; to carry it beyond which is to bring 

 it, undeservedly, into disrepute. Judiciously applied and skilfully 

 performed, both operations will redound to the credit of their intro- 

 ducers — Professors Sewell and Dick — wheresoever, and so long 

 soever, as the veterinary art is practised. 



*^* Since the foregoing was in type, the following case has 

 been kindly sent me by Mr. Cooper, Veterinary Surgeon at Berk- 

 hampstead : — " A draught mare received the common accident of 

 sprain just below the knee, followed by enlargement of the part, 

 the seat of which is frequently in that accessory ligamentous slip, 

 by some called the metacarpal ligament, situated between the 

 flexor tendons and suspensory ligament. The case was neglected, 

 and the mare kept at work for several months, until the leg became 

 so crooked that she was quite incapacitated for any kind of labour. 

 In this state she was sold for a trifling sum to Mr. Collier, of 



