S44 NEUROTOMY OR NERVING. 



ined to see whether the horse has picked up a nail, or other 

 wise injured the foot ; for such injuries would otherwise re- 

 main undiscovered until too late to save the animal's life 

 or usefulness. The smith should be informed of the opera- 

 tion, in order to guard against pricking the animal's foot in 

 shoeing. 



It is necessary previous to the operation that the feet should 

 be perfectly cool, which condition may be obtained by frequent 

 bathings with cold water for several days previous. The horse 

 is cast, the foot to be operated upon loosened, and brought for- 

 ward by an assistant, it resting upon a bed of straw. A verti- 

 cal incision is made about two inches above the fetlock, between 

 the cannon bone and back sinew, raising up with the forceps 

 the cellular membrane, and carefully dissecting out the nerve. 

 The precaution should be taken of placing the finger upon it, 

 as the artery has been taken up and cut off before the mistake 

 was discovered. Having fairly exposed the nerve, pass a curved 

 needle armed with strong thread under it, and by carefully 

 drawing it up and down the nerve may be readily separated. 

 A sheathed knife is then passed under the nerve, and by a quick 

 motion the nerve is severed at the upper part. After the strug' 

 gles of the animal cease, the cut nerve may be raised with the 

 forceps, and from one-half of an inch to an inch removed. This 

 second cut causes no pain. The wound is then closed by three 

 single stitches. After operating upon both sides in like manner, 

 the animal is allowed to rise. Bandages should then be placed 

 upon the leg, and kept saturated for several days with cold 

 water. 



