544 OPEBATIONS ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



his work. It has, indeed, been charged to undue haste, in com- 

 pelliag the animal to labor without aUowing sufficient time for the 

 healing process to be completed, and it is also alleged that it is a 

 consequence of the performance of the operation on both sides of 

 the leg at once. It is both a possible theory and a plausible argu- 

 ment that the failure of the tendon is the resiilt of the shocks in- 

 flicted upon it while ia a condition of disease and unconsciousness, 

 and this may explain the possibiUty of the accident without any 

 reference to the circumstance of putting the animal to work. But 

 this falls far short of proving that the neurotomy exercised any 

 potent agency in bringing on the softening and rupture. And as 

 to the effect of performing the double simultaneous operation, our 

 opinion will be readily inferred from the fact which we here state, 

 that out of the large number of neurotom^y cases which have passed 

 through om- hands, we have seen but a single case of softening 

 and rupture of the perforans tendon, and that was associated with 

 a fracture at the os pedis. The horse had been operated on upon 

 both feet, and on both sides at once, for navicular disease of old 

 standing, and on the third day following he was found in his box 

 standing on both fetlocks. He was destroyed and it was found 

 that the tendons of the perforans had given away in both feet, with 

 a fracture of the navicular bone and os pedis on one foot, and of 

 the OS pedis alone at the semi-lunar crest on the other. It is our 

 constant habit to operate on both sides, and with this sole excep- 

 tion, we have never met with softening of the tendons. 



Springhalt. — Beugnot and Renner report cases in which the 

 performance of the operation on the hind feet was followed by the 

 appearance of springhalt. 



In addition to the points we have been discussing, other, 

 alleged objections exist, which may claim superior force and value, 

 but there are none among them of sufficient weight, in view of 

 the many benefits realized from the operation, to justify its repu- 

 diation and abandonment. 



Among these may be mentioned the theory that the foot de- 

 prived of its sensibiHty by neurotomy is more exposed to the se- 

 quelae of pricks, contused wounds, corns, etc., from the circum- 

 stance that there is no betrayal or visible manifestation of the 

 lameness which is usually indicative of lesions of that organ. 



It is further objected that in many instances the lameness 

 shows, sooner or later, a tendency to relapse. But there is Uttle 



