130 NEUROTOMY. 



Neurotomy of a'sensory nerve is always a painful opera- 

 tion, anri its performance without anaesthesia is unjustifiable 

 from a humane standpoint, and cannot be so well done either 

 from the view of mechanical correctness or the carrying out 

 of antiseptic standards. Some neurotomies can be well per- 

 formed ou the standing animal if it is quiet and the operator 

 is experienced, the parts being rendered insensitive by 

 means of cocaine or other local anaesthetics ; in the greater 

 neurotomies general anaesthesia is called for, whether viewed 

 from the humane or operative standpoijit. 



The confinement of animals for neurotomy on the sensory 

 nerves of the extremities for the relief of lameness is always 

 to be viewed as a critical procedure for the reason that the 

 operation is generally made because of the local manifesta- 

 tion of a more or less general disease which is accompanied 

 by fragility of the skeleton, and as a result most casting acci- 

 dents occur in cases of confining for neurotomy or firing in 

 cases of lameness belonging to the great group of dry 

 arthritis or spavin family. Casting must, therefore, be done 

 with tlie greatest po.sslble care, a id the operating table is to 

 be constantly and greatly preferred. 



Neurotomy is properly a last re.sort in lameness and .should 

 not otherwi.se be performed. It has two great and ever 

 present dangers. If the part deprived of sensation is too 

 badly di.seased to bear the weigiit and resist the insult result- 

 ant upon the part being called to do its normal or even an 

 extra amount of work, it must ultimately give way, the 

 bones become fractured, the tendons separate from the bone, 

 the intra-ungular tissues lose their integrity and the hoofs 

 become detached (exungnlation) or other degenerative 

 changes take place as a result of causing a part to do a work 

 for which its condition unfits it. 



The second great danger occurs from wounds or other 

 traumatisms to the tissues distal to the operation when the 

 uinierved parts are not rested as they would be in natural 



