120 THE STUD. 



I am, however, acquainted with the operation 

 of neurotomy, having several times seen it per- 

 formed, and am aware of the effect usually pro- 

 duced by it, which can only simply be called alle- 

 viation of pain : for it is not done as a cure of the 

 disease causing the suffering : it relieves the effect, 

 but does not do away with the cause. Personally, 

 I would not purchase a horse that had been un- 

 nerved at any price ; but this is, of course, no rule 

 for others to go by. I am aware that there are 

 many horses going well that have been operated 

 upon, and the lasting good effect of the operation 

 I conceive to depend on the nature of the com- 

 plaint that rendered the horse lame. If we could 

 be certain the cause of lameness had come to its 

 worst, but left acute pain only as the result, it 

 would, in such a case, be both merciful and judi- 

 cious to have the operation performed without 

 delay. If, on the contrary, the disease was a 

 progressive one, and of a nature that would, with- 

 out the operation, shortly or eventually leave the 

 animal a cripple — if a horse thus circumstanced 

 belonged to myself, I would have him destroyed 

 at once ; for the only effect of the operation would 

 be to enable the poor brute to stumble aJ.ong a 

 short time longer, and the result would be, per- 

 haps, some day leaving one of his hoofs on the 

 road, or exhibiting the mortifying and distressing 



