RESTORATION OF CO-ORDINATED MOVEMENTS AFTER NERVE SECTION. 689 



been thus transfixed by the catgut in the same direction was, of course, that on tying 

 the knot the two ends of the nerve could be brought into apposition only after rotation 

 on their long axes with reference to each other through a semicircle. Thus the fibres 

 running down the external side of the central segment were brought into apposition with 

 the fibres on the internal side of the peripheral segment, and vice versd, the displace- 

 ment of the ends of the fibres being thus made as extreme as compatible with coaptation 

 of the two ends. 



The subcutaneous tissue and the skin were then separately united by sutures, 

 dressings applied, and the whole limb fixed by plaster of Paris bandages, commencing 

 above the claws, passing up the limb and round the body, a thick double copper wire 

 moulded to the parts being incorporated in the bandages. The effect of the morphia 

 was to keep the dog in narcosis sufficiently long to allow of complete drying of the 

 plaster of Paris without breakage. 



At the end of the second day the animal was able to stand on the splint. There was 

 no sensation on pricking the foot with a needle, except over the region on the inner side 

 of the paw supplied by the internal saphenous nerve. 



By the end of the third day the dog was walking freely about, using the splint as a 

 support, but dragging the paw along the ground with the dorsal surface clown. The 

 foot was, therefore, bandaged so as to keep the plantar surface down in order to prevent 

 further excoriation of the dorsal surface. 



At the end of the seventh day, on removing the supporting bandage from the paw, 

 the dog was able to walk across the room, placing its paw with the plantar surface 

 down. On passing a projecting board on the floor the foot was turned back, and the 

 animal rested on the dorsal surface, but at the next step the foot was restored to the 

 normal position, with the plantar surface clown. On pricking the skin with a needle 

 the animal gave no sign of pain, although it turned round and commenced vigorously to 

 lick the paw. 



The first undoubted sign of returning sensation was obtained on the tenth day ; for 

 on pricking the formerly insensitive part of the foot, the animal at once withdrew the 

 limb with signs of pain. 



At the end of the fourteenth day the splint was removed, and the wound was found 

 healed, and the stitches were removed. The animal then walked well on the un- 

 supported leg, always placing the plantar surface of the paw correctly, although it threw 

 the leg a little outwards in a movement of circumduction at each step, but it was not 

 markedly lame. Occasionally it missed a step, carrying the leg forward with a hop. 



On the following day the sound leg was held up without supporting the weight of 

 the body, and it was found that the animal was able to walk, supporting the hind part 

 of its body entirely on the affected leg. Occasionally the foot was placed with the 

 dorsal surface down, and to give it support a figure-of-eight bandage was again applied 

 to the paw to hold it in the extended position. 



At the nineteenth clay the dog was running about without any trace of limping, 



