LAMENESS, FROM VARIOUS CAUSES. 583 
let down tue heel of the foot, not the fetlock, to the ground, The 
flexor tendons support the pastern and foot-joints principally, the 
fetlock joint having the additional strong support of the suspen- 
sory ligament, which it still retains after the tendons have been 
cut through. This accounts for the heel of the foot, without the 
fetlock, being let down by the operation of tenotomy. 
Having cast the horse, and so secured the limb to be operated 
a that there is not much chance of any interruption being occa- 
sioned through its motion, I recommend that a longitudinal in- 
cision, three or four inches in length, be made through the skin, 
along the back of the leg, down upon the middle portion of the 
flexor perforatus tendon. This incision freely and boldly made at 
once, the operator will be able to stretch the mouth of the wound 
he has made round to the inner side of the leg, in which stretched 
position the skin is to be held by an assistant, while the operator 
introduces the fore-finger of Lis left hand, to push back the blocd- 
veascls and nerve (which run along the inner borders of the ten- 
dons) against the suspensory ligament, so that they be safe out of 
the way, while with the right hand he insinuates his bistoury 
between them and the flexor tendons. Opposing now the cutting 
edge of the bistoury to the tendons themselves, he commences 
incising them by a steady but firm and strong sawing movement, 
until both be completely divided. I say he is to hold the bistoury 
(wluch orght to be a stout one) firmly, and to use it with some 
force, cance such is the dense and tough texture of these tendons 
that they are not cut completely through without some determi- 
nation. Complete division being made of them, the heel of the 
foot may not (in all probability will not) come down without 
some extension of the leg; and this must be made, not by such 
violence a3 Mr. Goodenough found himself compelled to use, still 
with such force as will, if possible, make the limb straight, by 
stretching or even tearing through adhesions of moderate stand- 
ing, so far as this can be effected without the risk of rupturmg 
ligament or fracturing bone. The giving way of adhesions, in 
such cases, is frequently attended with a sort of snap or jerk, de- 
notive of their being overcome, and by this the end is known te 
be anawe:ed, such adhesions and impediments to extension being 
commoniy situate about or in the vicinity of the fetlock-joint. 
The usual and most effective mode of accomplishing the extension 
is, to place the knee against the front of the fetlock, and, grasping 
