OPERATIONS ON THE FOOT 101 



F. LENGTH OF REST AFTER NEURECTOMY. 



This is placed by the majority of surgeons at about 

 three weeks to a month. Within that period no excessive 

 exertion should be undergone by the patient. A certain 

 amount of quiet exercise, however, is beneficial, facilitating 

 the healing of the wounds, and accustoming the animal 

 to the altered condition of his limb. 



G. SEQUELAE OF NEURECTOMY. 



These we shall relate collectively, making no distinction 

 between those following excision of the plantar nerve and 

 those succeeding section of the median. It must be remem- 

 bered by the surgeon, however, that the unfortunate sequelae 

 we are now about to describe are likely to be far more grave 

 when following section of the larger nerve. 



Liability of Pricked Foot going undetected. — On account 

 of the warning they convey to the surgeon, first place 

 among the sequelae of neurectomy must be given to acci- 

 dents following loss of sensation. Take, for example, 

 punctured foot. In any case, in the sense of being unfore- 

 seen, it is accidental. In the neurectomized foot it becomes 

 doubly accidental, in that not only is it unforeseen, but that 

 it is for some time indiscoverable. With the foot deprived 

 of sensation, a nail may be picked up, or a prick sustained 

 at the forge, and no intimation given to the attendant until 

 pus has underrun the horn, and broken out at the coronet. 

 What follows, then, is that the hoof as a whole, or the 

 greater part of it, sloughs off. 



No neurectomy should be undertaken unless this con- 

 tingency has been allowed for. The owner should be 

 advised of it by the surgeon, who should at the same time 

 enjoin on his client absolute necessity of giving to the 

 neurectomized foot daily and careful attention. 



Loss of Tone in the Non-sensitive Area. — In addition to 

 the mischief resulting from a wound going undetected, it 

 must be remembered that the loss of tone resulting from 

 the operation gives to every wound (however slight,) in 



