DISEASES OF THE LATERAL CARTILAGES 355 
this end a sage-knife (right- or left-handed, according as to 
whether the anterior or posterior portion of the cartilage is 
to be first removed) is again passed into the incision. With 
the cutting-edge of the knife forward, it is gradually reached 
round and under the hindermost end of the cartilage, and 
the posterior half of the cartilage separated from underlying 
structures, and at the same time excised by one clean cut 
forwards. Using the second sage-knife in a similar manner, 
the cutting-edge this time backwards, it is reached in front 
of the cartilage, whose anterior half is then excised by 
a careful cut backwards. Any small portions of cartilage 
remaining after this are sought for with the finger, and 
carefully removed by means of a scalpel and a tenaculum. 
The fistulous opening or openings in the skin of the 
coronet should now be thoroughly curetted, and the whole 
of the wound dressed as to be described later. 
In removing the anterior half of the cartilage it is highly 
important to remember the close contiguity to it of the 
synovial membrane of the pedal articulation. This projects 
as a small sac between the antero- and postero-lateral 
ligaments of the joint. Risks of injury to it may be 
diminished by having the foot secured with a line, and 
pulled forward by an assistant while the cut is being 
made. 
Third Method (after Bayer).—This operator recommends 
that, after stripping a half-moon-shaped piece of horn from 
the seat of operation, instead of raising the skin of the 
coronet and the attached coronary cushion in two flaps (as 
Fig. 189, a, a), that the cartilage be exposed by raising up 
one flap only (Fig. 141, a), consisting of a portion of the 
sensitive lamine, the coronary cushion, and the skin and 
underlying structures of the coronet. 
With the horse cast and the preliminary steps over, the 
thinned horn of the quarter is incised in a semicircular 
fashion, and the half-moon-shaped piece thus separated 
from its surroundings stripped off. At about { inch from 
the incision in the horn, a second incision of similar shape 
is made through the sensitive structures, which incision 
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