OPERATIONS WITH ANTISEPTIC PRECAUTIONS. 89 
wards, including the lower sheath of tendon of the flexor pedis 
perforans), which are painful, but do not show any acute in- 
flammatory systems, and which do not yield to any derivative 
treatment such as firing, blisters, etc., within six weeks. 
Although there is but one incision (surgical wound) made 
if the median nerve is cut through on the inner surface of 
the arm at the height of the elbow joint, I concluded for the 
following reasons instead of neurectomy of the median nerve, 
to perform the operation on its inner and outer branch over 
the pastern joint. With this mode certainly we have to operate 
upon the inner as well as the outer side of the pastern joint, and, 
therefore, we have to turn the horse after operating on one side, 
but whoever had frequent opportunities to perform neurectomy 
of the median nerve, has certainly convinced himself that it 
is not such an easy operation as it appears to be. On the ca- 
daver certainly with one single incision the median nerve can 
be exposed, as I have had ample opportunity to observe at the 
surgical exercises of the Royal Veterinary High School; en- 
tirely different, however, are the conditions on the living 
animal. 
The median nerve at the elbow, where it has to be éxposed in 
order to cut it through, is covered by the flexor metacarpi in- 
ternus. The latter muscle stretches itself, on account of the 
exertions which the horse makes to liberate himself from 
the hobbles, so tensely, that it hides the nerves located under 
it both to the eye and the finger. Besides, in this vicinity, in 
fact, close to the nerve, lies the vena radialis, vena mediana 
and vena collateralis radialis inferior. All these three have a 
rather tolerable lumen, and are easily injured when the nerve 
is searched for, so that the severe haemorrhages cause quite a 
difficulty in finding it. 
For the practitioner, who does not have all helping material 
and assistance at his disposal same as the clinical teacher, the 
difficulty to find the median nerve on the mentioned spot, 
would be sufficient to cause him to abandon the operation. 
Another cause, however, besides this one, induced me to pre- 
fer neurectomy of both branches of median nerve on.the past- 
