PERIOSTEOTOMY. 583 



if below the fetlock joint. The cellular substance being 

 cleared away will bring the vessels into view, and the nerve 

 will be readily distinguished from them by its whiteness. 

 Elevating it from the vessels, and its membranous attach- 

 ments, by means of a crooked needle armed with thread, 

 pass a bistoury under it, as near to the upper angle of 

 the section as possible. The violent spasm the division 

 of the nerve produces may be somewhat lessened by press- 

 ing the nerve between the finger and the thumb ; when 

 an opportunity may be taken, either with the scalpel or 

 scissors, of dividing it ; then, taking hold of the lowermost 

 portion between a pair of forceps, excise about three-fourths 

 of an inch of its trunk. Having finished, if both feet 

 are affected, proceed to operate upon the contrary side of 

 the other leg ; after which turn the horse, and repeat the 

 operations on the like parts of each leg as they come in 

 succession. The integuments may be now drawn neatly 

 together, and secured by a twisted suture, the whole 

 being properly covered by a light compress. Tie up the 

 head for a day or two, after which put on a cradle ; keep 

 the horse very quiet and low : give mashes to open the 

 bowels ; but we should avoid physicking, from the fear that 

 griping might occur, which would make him restless, or 

 probably require exercise. 



PERIOSTEOTOMY. 



This operation consists in having the horse thrown upon 

 his side, and the leg to be operated upon released from the 

 hobble, and extended upon a sack filled with refuse hay or 

 straw : this is done by means of a piece of webbing passed 

 round the hoof, and the end given to a man to hold, who 

 pulls rather violently at the member. The operator then 

 kneels down and feels for the exostosis he intends to per- 

 form periosteotomy upon. This may be a splint or a 

 node, and commonly exists upon the metacarpal portion of 

 the fore limb. The operator having found the excrescence, 

 snips just below it with a pair of rowelling scissors. He 

 then takes a blunt seton needle and drives it through the 

 cellular tissue, and immediately over the enlargement. Next, 

 another slit in the skin, above the exostosis, is made with 

 the rowelling scissors, and through this last opening the 



