108 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



will offer relief from pain, and restore to work an otherwise 

 useless animal. In support of that we will now quote the 

 recognised advantages of the operation. 



That in many cases, when all other methods — surgical 

 and medicinal — have failed, there is an immediate and 

 total freedom from pain and lameness no one will deny. 

 This, if it restores to active work an animal that would 

 otherwise have had to have been cast aside, is ample 

 justification for giving the operation, in spite of its many 

 unfortunate terminations, a real place among the more 

 highly favoured remedial measures to our hand. 



' For Contracted Hoofs, viewing them in the light of 

 idiopathic disease, or as being the immediate cause of the 

 existing lameness in the uninflamed condition of the foot, 

 and when consequential changes of its organism have taken 

 place which bid defiance to therapeutic measures, neurotomy 

 is a warrantable resource' (Percival). 



For Ringbone neurotomy has been practised with 

 perfect success, after blistering and firing had both failed, 

 notwithstanding the work the animal had to perform 

 afterwards was of the most trying nature' (ibid.). 



For Navicular Disease, when that malady is diagnosed, 

 the earlier neurectomy is performed the better The 

 greater work given to the diseased bursa and bone, and 

 the return of the contracted heels to the normal, brought 

 about by the greater freedom with which the foot is used, 

 are claimed by many to effect a cure. 



Writing of navicular disease, and mentioning his belief 

 in the possibility of the diseased bone effecting its own 

 repair after the operation, Harold Leeney, M.R.C.V.S., 

 says: 



' The expansion of the heel, and rapid development of 

 the frog (in this and many other cases) immediately after 

 the operation, has not, I venture to think, attracted so 

 much attention as it deserves, and many have something 

 to do with those cases which appear to be actually cured, 

 not merely made to go sound by absence of pain.' * 

 * Veterinary Record, vol. xi., p. 297. 



