318 



OPERATIONS ON MUSCLES AND THEIB ANNEXES. 



ance, and chronic adhesions may exist. A short walking exercise 

 followiag the operation may facilitate the straightening of the leg, 

 and in any event can have no injurious effect. But even with this, 

 it is sometimes several days before any well-marked improvement 

 can be discerned. There are cases, indeed, when ten or fifteen 

 days may pass without noticeable change, but if it fails to appear 

 after such a lapse of time, the case may be considered hopeless. 



There are practitioners, however, among whom are Didot, 

 Delward and Hering, who object to this exercise, and hold that 

 the natural and spontaneous 

 straightening of the fetlock 

 can be greatly assisted by 

 proper shoeing, as, for exam- Fig. 332.— Mot- 

 ple, by weai-ing a shoe with a ^MeToe-cork. 

 long toe, such as are used in cases of club- 

 foot, or again, by having peculiar movable 

 toe-corks by which the effect of the bearing of the shoe is in- 

 creased. The ordinary long-toed shoe represented in Pig. 333 

 is often worn with advantage. 



Fie. 331. — Slioe with Pro- 

 longed Toe, for Clut>-Foot. 



Fig. 333.— Long-Toe Shoe. 



Complete rest after the operation wUl benefit the patient in the 

 most essential manner by diminishing the causes of pain and favor- 

 ing the cicatrization, and possibly preventing an exaggerated ex- 

 tension at the fetlock. It is only after from twenty to twenty-five 

 days that moderate exercise may be allowed, and not less than six 



