METHOD OF EXAMINING THE FOOT 75 



Cocaine being an irritant, it must be remembered that 

 after the anaesthesia the lameness is somewhat more marked 

 than before. 



To the cocaine other practitioners add morphia in the 

 following proportions : 



Cocaine hydrochlorate ... ... 2\ grains. 



Morphia .'. H " 



Acqua destil. ... ... ... H drams. 



As a diagnostic this mixture of the two is said to be far 

 superior to either cocaine or morphia alone. 



In connection with this subject, Professor Hobday has 

 published, among others, the following cases illustrating 

 the practical value of this method of diagnosis :* 



Case /. — Cab gelding. Seat of lameness somewhat 

 obscure; navicular disease suspected. Injected 2 grains 

 of cocaine in aqueous solution on either side of the limb, 

 immediately over the metacarpal nerves. 



Five Minutes. — Lameness perceptibly diminished. 



Ten Minutes. — Lameness scarcely perceptible. 



Case 77. — Mare. Obscure lameness ; foot suspected. 

 Injected 30 minims of a 5 per cent, solution on either side 

 of the leg just above the fetlock. 



Ten minutes. — No lameness, thus proving that the seat 

 of lameness was below the point of injection. 



Case III. — Cab gelding, aged, free clinique : Messrs. 

 Elme's and Moffat's case. Obscure lameness ; foot sus- 

 pected of navicular disease ; very lame. Injected 30 

 minims of a 5 per cent, solution of cocaine on either side 

 of the leg over the metacarpal nerves. 



Six Minutes. — Lameness perceptibly less; there was no 

 response whatever on the inside of the leg to the prick 

 of a pin. On the outside, which had not been injected so 

 thoroughly, there was sensation, although not so much as 

 in a healthy foot. 



Ten Minutes. — Lameness had almost disappeared; so 



* The Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics, vol. 

 viii., pp. 27, 43. 



