CASE OF TENOTOMY. 
198 
The disease and lameness had been gradually increasing since 
the horse had been turned off work ; and I was told, that if I 
considered there was no chance of recovery, he was to be forth- 
with destroyed. Thinking it a favourable opportunity to try 
the effect of the operation of dividing the flexor tendons, I re- 
commended it to the proprietors, who immediately acceded to 
the proposal, and on the following morning I performed it. I 
commenced by materially altering the shape of the foot, by low- 
ering the heels, and removing a large portion of sole and frog 
which had been growing greatly in height, in consequence of 
the animal not being able to bear any weight upon the heels. 
I then cast the horse, and, after he was properly secured, made 
an incision longitudinally, about three inches in length, between 
the flexor tendons and metacarpal bones, on the inner side of 
the leg, midway between the knee and fetlock. By a little 
dissection, laying bare the nerve, artery, and vein, I passed a 
ligature under them, by means of which they were drawn for- 
ward by an assistant, while T, with the handle of a scalpel, 
separated the cellular tissue forming an adhesion between the 
tendon and suspensory ligament, until I could plainly feel the 
handle on the opposite side. I there introduced my knife, and 
by a gentle sawing motion carefully divided the tendons, taking 
care not to wound the skin at the back part of the leg, or to 
leave any other opening than that made by the first incision. 
The ends of the divided tendons immediately receded from each 
other to the extent of about two inches, and the limb, with very 
little difficulty, was made to assume a straight position. 
The hopples were now taken off, and the horse allowed to 
rise. At first he bore very little weight upon the leg. He 
was put into a loose box, and an elastic bandage applied to the 
leg, and a dose of physic administered. No constitutional irri- 
tation followed this formidable operation, and the recovery was 
gradual. In two months the wound made by the incision was 
perfectly healed, and the tendons were again united. In four 
months the horse walked free from lameness, and, after a run 
of three months, was put to work, at which he continued quite 
sound until I lost sight of him. And so complete was his re- 
storation, that a stranger would be puzzled to know which leg 
had been operated on. 
