NEUROTOMY. 135 



Nervousness. — Few persons having the care of 

 horses have failed to observe occasionally horses with a 

 peculiar excitability of disposition, when any excitement 

 and noise is going on, and when being harnessed for 

 work. The tail somewhat elevated, moving from one 

 side of the stall to the other, and passing manure from 

 him repeatedly every few minutes, until one would 

 think that there was nothing left in his bowels. These 

 animals are usually light-bellied and poor feeders, but 

 fleet and free goers, and very gay in saddle or har 

 ness, and much admired by persons not versed in horse- 

 flesh. They make excellent Sunday horses, but poor 

 every day animals, as the constant excitement when at 

 work overdoes their physical powers. This condition 

 impairs the value of the horse very much. 



Treatment. — Keep nervous horses in a place by them- 

 selves, where there is no noise or sound to disturb them, 

 and have no harness or saddles in the place with them, 

 nor clean harness or saddles where they are; for when- 

 ever a piece of harness is seen in the hands of the groom, 

 the animal expects it is to be put upon him, and hence 

 he gets excited, and efforts are made to empty the bow- 

 els of their contents. The harnessing or saddling should 

 be the last thing that should be done before going out 

 with such a horse, as it gives him no time to empty the 

 bowels and become excited. Ten grains of opium, and a 

 drachm or two of prepared chalk may be given, either 

 half an hour before going out, or after he comes in. 

 Such horses are more pleasant to drive, if this be given. 



Neurotomy. — An operation for dividing the nerves 

 of feeling, as they enter the foot on both sides of the 

 leg. The operation is performed for the purpose of re- 

 moving pain from the foot in navicular disease. The 



