187 

 when he has to operate with it. In cautious hands 

 it gives every facility that could be desired, and is 

 both more certain in its action, and more expeditious 

 in its results than anything of the kind which we at 

 present possess, besides having the further advantage 

 of not requiring those adjustments and unsatisfactory 

 changes which the common instruments necessitate 

 to be made. For extraction, nothing beyond these 

 forceps is wanted : they answer every purpose ; 

 but the veterinary surgeon is less frequently called 

 upon to extract, than to shorten the horse's teeth. 

 To this subject Mr. Gowing has likewise given his 

 attention, and it is pleasant to state he has equally 

 succeeded. The ordinary chisel was alike inefficient 

 and dangerous. The guard was not sufficient to 

 prevent the edge from seriously wounding the 

 mouth, and the chisel could remove but a small 

 portion at a time. The shock, moreover, was sus- 

 tained by the tooth itself, which, transferring the 

 force to the alveolar cavity, was too often the cause 

 of fracture. When cautiously conducted, the ope- 

 ration was tedious, and the stuggles of the horse 

 were not devoid of danger. We were possessed 

 of nothing which, at a single blow, could remove 



