90 ANTISEPTIC TREATMENT OF WOUNDS. 
ern joint rather than cutting through the body of that nerve, 
I have noticed cases where, undoubtedly, the median nerve 
was totally cut through, and notwithstanding this, the sensi- 
bility did not immediately disappear after the operation. The 
plea that the muscular sensation in stepping on the corona 
produces a deceptive sensibility is frail, owing to the fact that 
needle pricks were also felt on the coronet, I think an explana- 
tion for these appearances lies in anatomical conditions, for it is 
well known that a connecting branch from the ulnar nerve 
leads at the top of the root of the metacarpus to the outer 
branch of the median. Possibly through this branch of the 
ulnar nerve, sensitive fibres enter into the outer branch of the 
median and thus transmit sensibility into the parts provided 
for by the latter, although its body is cut through. 
To prevent this eventuality, I do not cut through the body 
of the median, but both of its branches close to the pastern 
joint. 
I attend to the operation as follows: After securing the 
horse, I trim the hair off, wash the skin with soap, disinfect it 
with a I per cent. sublimate solution, and with an incision from 
4 to 5 cm. long, close above the pastern, I expose the nerve. 
It is practical to make the first incision the proper depth, so 
that the nerve can at once be seen at the bottom. If only the 
skin is cut open, as is usually recommended, the 
connective tissue must then be removed by means of 
scissors and small forceps. This leads to unnecessary 
hemorrhages and a shredded condition of the wound, and 
thus considerably interferes with the finding of the nerve as 
well as delays the healing. As soon as I know the nerve 
to be lying at the bottom of the wound, which can be easily 
determined on account of the violent movements of the pa- 
tient, when the supposed nerve is pricked with the knife or 
pinched with the forceps, I carry, by means of the Dechamp 
needle, a sublimate silk thread under the nerve, also through 
the neighboring connective tissue, and then tightly fasten the 
thread around the nerve, during which performance the pa- 
tient struggles violently. Next thing the nerve, centrally from 
