50 Williams,Fisher, and Udall :. The Spavin Group.5 
Dieckerhoff introduced and recommended the tenotomy and 
tendo-vaginotomy for the relief of spavin, an operation not. 
applicable to other members of the group, but having distinct 
merit in the one disease. ee 
Periosteotomy has been repeatedly used and commended in 
such exostoses as ringbone and spavin and has proven effective 
in many cases. Peters introduced a combination of tenotomy and 
periosteotomy for the cure of ‘spavin which bears his name. 
We and others have resorted to fixation in some cases, espe- 
cially in spavin, with good results. The effect has been highly 
favorable in very severe spavins with intense inflammation and 
swelling and such excessive lameness that the animal declined 
to bear any weight upon the affected limb. In such patients the 
encasement of the affected member in a firm plaster of Paris 
cast gave prompt and grateful relief with rapid abatement of the 
swelling and inflammation and early recovery of ability to work. 
Fixation has not been sufficiently tried in the more common 
type of cases. 
When the foregoing means have failed to cure or ameliorate 
the disease, there remains as a final resort, the destruction of the 
power of feeling either temporarily or permanently. Temporarily, 
by local anesthesia, the chief legitimate motive is the use of 
cocaine or other like drug for diagnostic purposes. A recent 
writer has stated that in one case the injection of cocaine and 
adrenaline gave permanent cessation of lameness. The propo- 
sition needs further proof. 
Generally we aim to produce permanent anesthesia of the 
part by neurotomy. Much discussion has been had as to where 
we should operate for a given case of disease. Generally speak- 
ing, the best place to operate is the nearest point on the proximal 
side of the affected part where the sensory nerve supplying that 
region can be readily reached. The larger the nerve trunk, the 
more permanent the interruption of sensation. In case of the 
digital nerve, — low neurotomy, — the innervation of the part is 
frequently restored after six to twelve months. Neurotomy is 
properly only a final resort and is not otherwise justifiable because 
of the dangers involved. The chief and ever-present danger 
from the operation is the placing upon the weakened bones of 
the foot of an increased amount of weight which, in their dis- 
eased condition, they cannot bear; this apparently intensifies the 
rarefying ostitis within the bones and corresponding degenerative 
