94 DISEASES OF THE HORSE’S FOOT 
Preparation of the Subject—But little in the way of 
medicinal preparation is necessary. When the animal isa 
gross, heavy feeder, and carries a more than ordinary 
amount of cupboard, all that is needed is to withhold his 
usual allowance of food for some time prior to the opera- 
tion, simply to avoid risk of rupture when casting. If 
considered advisable, a dose of physic may also be admin- 
istered. 
To the seat of operation, however, careful attention 
should be given. On the day previous to the operation the 
hair should be closely removed with the clipping machines, 
and the skin thoroughly cleansed with warm water and 
soap. After this, a bandage soaked in a 4 per cent. watery 
solution of carbolic acid should be wrapped lightly round 
the limb, and allowed to remain in position until the animal 
is cast and ready for the operation the following morning. 
On removing the bandage prior to operating, the part should 
again be bathed with a cold 5 per cent. solution of carbolic 
acid and swabbed dry. Attention to these details will serve 
to leave the wound in that favourable condition in which it 
heals nicely, and with the minimum amount of trouble. 
Preliminary Steps.—By some practitioners the operation 
is performed with the animal standing, local anesthesia 
having been first obtained by the use of cocaine, or an 
ethyl chloride spray. There is no gainsaying the fact, how- 
ever, that the operation of neurectomy is a painful one, 
and that, with most operators, success will be more fully 
guaranteed with the animal cast and the limb held in a 
suitable position by an assistant. 
The animal is thrown by the hobbles upon the side of 
the leg which is to be operated on. The cannon of the 
upper fore-limb is then fixed to the cannon of the upper 
hind, as described under the section of this chapter devoted 
to the methods of restraint, and the lower limb freed from 
the hobbles and drawn forward by an assistant by means 
of a stout piece of cord round the pastern. 
An alternative method of holding the limb is to bind both 
fore-legs together above the knee by means of the side-line 
