110 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



I. THE USE OF THE HORSE THAT HAS UNDERGONE 

 NEURECTOMY. 



No operation is of any considerable value to the veterinary 

 surgeon unless he is able to show that after it he has left 

 his patient workable. The alleviation of pain alone, com- 

 mendable as it is from a humanitarian standpoint, is of no 

 interest to the average owner of horse-flesh, unless with it 

 he sees his animal capable of justifying his existence by 

 the amount of labour performed. 



Criticised in this way, is the operation of neurectomy 

 justifiable? Upon that point the opinions of many prac- 

 titioners, even at the present day, differ. We have already 

 partly answered the objections likely to be raised on this 

 score by stating that the work afterwards allotted the 

 animal should be fixed to suit his altered condition. It 

 may be taken as a general rule that in all cases where the 

 animal's usefulness depends upon his delicacy of touch, as, 

 for example, animals used solely for hacking or hunting, 

 his future usefulness in that special sphere of work will be 

 done away with. 



Percival himself, always a strong advocate for the 

 operation, fully recognises this. ' Does the neurotomized 

 horse maintain the same step as before ?' he asks. ' To 

 this important question,' he replies, ' I unhesitatingly 

 answer no ; he does not. There can be no doubt but that 

 the horse feels the ground upon which he is treading, and 

 that he regulates his action in consonance with such feeling, 

 so as to render his step the least jarring and fatiguing to 

 himself, and therefore the easiest and pleasantest to his 

 rider. . . . Such impressions ' — those of touch — ' being in 

 the neurotomized subject, so far as regards the feeling of 

 the foot, altogether wanting, a bold, fearless projection of 

 the limb in action will be the consequence, followed by a 

 putting down of the hoof flat upon the ground, as though 

 it were a block, creating a sensation alike unpleasant both 

 to horse and rider.' 



Emphatic as Percival is upon this point, there are, 



