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CASES OF NEUROTOMY. 
By T. D. Gregory, M.R.C.V.S., Bideford, Devon. 
To the Editor of 11 The Veterinarian 
Sir, — The following cases of Neurotomy are offered to you 
with no expectation of placing the operation in a higher position 
in the category of veterinary surgery than at present, and for so 
long a time it has continued to hold; the principal inducement 
being to shew the result, during the year 1850, of many op- 
portunities I had of testing its efficacy upon horses of different 
classes, used for various purposes, and having feet of varied 
characteristics. I have, on many occasions previous to the 
above date, been called to operate, and, I may add, with almost 
universal success. 
I am, Sir, 
Your’s respectfully. 
Case I. — Patient, a very large powerful black gelding, six- 
teen hands high, seven years old, feet proportionally large, with 
soles flat, the property of a clergyman residing near Stratton, 
Cornwall ; — had been used for agricultural purposes. I first saw 
him in March 1849, when I was sent for. He was then lame in 
both fore feet, more particularly the near one ; had been so for 
some time ; was subjected to treatment ; blistered and fired 
round the fetlock and coronet by the farrier, without producing 
any good effect. The owner determined to have the operation 
performed for his relief, if I thought it advisable. I confess I 
did not strongly recommend it, and pointed out some objections 
to him. I feared the effect it might subsequently have upon 
his flat feet, when throwing his great weight upon them, in cart- 
ing heavy loads down hill ; these, with some other objections I 
offered, induced him (the owner) to alter his views, and we 
determined to defer the operation for some time : after suggest- 
ing some palliative treatment, and his promising to inform me 
from time to time of his progress, I left. During the year I 
had some correspondence with him upon other subjects. In his 
letters, in speaking of the black horse, he said, he continued to 
get worse and worse ; he fell off in condition ; was almost 
always lying down when in the stable, and unable to perform 
his accustomed work without great pain to himself; and he 
thought it would be a great act of humanity towards the poor 
brute if I could relieve him by operation, implying that he 
would take all the responsibility upon himself if any ill effects 
attended it. Therefore, on the 23d of January 1850, he arrived 
VOL. XXIV. T 
