OPERATIONS ON THE FOOT 101 
F. LENGTH OF REST AFTER NEURECTOMY. 
This is placed by the majority of surgeons at about 
three weeks to a month. Within that period no excessive 
exertion should be undergone by the patient. A certain 
amount of quiet exercise, however, is beneficial, facilitating 
the healing of the wounds, and accustoming the animal 
to the altered condition of his limb. 
G. SEQUELZ OF NEURECTOMY. 
These we shall relate collectively, making no distinction 
between those following excision of the plantar nerve and 
those succeeding section of the median. It must be remem- 
bered by the surgeon, however, that the unfortunate sequel 
we are now about to describe are likely to be far more grave 
when following section of the larger nerve. 
Liability of Pricked Foot going wndetected.—On account 
of the warning they convey to the surgeon, first place 
among the sequele of neurectomy must be given to acci- 
dents following loss of sensation. Take, for example, 
punctured foot. In any case, in the sense of being unfore- 
seen, it is accidental. In the neurectomized foot it becomes 
doubly accidenial, in that not only is it unforeseen, but that 
it is for some time indiscoverable. With the foot deprived 
of sensation, a nail may be picked up, or a prick sustained 
at the forge, and no intimation given to the attendant until 
pus has underrun the horn, and broken out at the coronet. 
What follows, then, is that the hoof as a whole, or the 
greater part of it, sloughs off. 
No neurectomy should be undertaken unless this con- 
tingency has been allowed for. The owner should be 
advised of it by the surgeon, who should at the same time 
enjoin on his client the absolute necessity of giving to the 
neurectomized foot daily and careful attention. 
Loss of Tone in the Non-sensitive Area.—In addition to 
the mischief resulting from a wound going undetected, it 
must be remembered that the loss of tone resulting from 
the operation gives to every wound (however slight), in 
