586 
MEMOIR ON TENOTOMY. 
1st. Of two tendons united together by lamellated cellular tis- 
sues; the first belongs to the gastrocnemii muscles, otherwise 
called the perforati, while the second arises from the flexor 
pedis, otherwise called profundus or perforans. 
2d. Of a strong fibrous band, which re-unites itself with the ten- 
don of the perforans muscle towards the upper part of the cannon 
bone. 
3d. Of the suspensory ligament. 
It is chiefly to the fibrous band, which emanates from the carpal 
ligament, or posterior tarsal, that we would call the attention of 
practitioners ; for it is daily becoming more and more evident, that 
in every twenty cases of deviation of the inferior obliquitus of the 
limbs, at least two-thirds are caused by a pathological alteration of 
this band*. More developed in the anterior than in the posterior 
limbs, this fibrous band, which becomes confounded with the 
perforans tendon, sometimes above and sometimes below the 
superior part of the cannon, appears to be intended to oppose 
itself to the fore and hind flexor muscles, on the tendons of 
which rest a more or less considerable part of the weight of 
the body, in a state of continual tension. It would, in fact, be 
contrary to all known laws of animal mechanism or physiology 
for a muscle, even when provided with numerous tendinous inter- 
sections, to be constantly under the dominion of powers which 
exact from it a permanent re-action. Besides, the position of this 
band, the circumstance of its development being greater in the an- 
terior than in the posterior limbs, the spot at which it re-unites 
itself with the tendons of the perforant muscles, and, lastly, the pa- 
thological alterations of which it is not unfrequently the seat, all 
tend to the support of our opinion relative to the use of this fibrous 
production. This being once admitted, it is easy to understand 
how it happens that, especially in the fore legs, the retraction 
of the flexor tendons of the pasterns is owing more frequently 
to some pathological alteration of the band formed by the posterior 
carpal ligament than to any lesion of the tendons themselves. 
We have already stated that the fibrous band of which we are 
speaking, and the uses of which we are endeavouring to explain, 
is confounded with the tendon of the fore and hind perforant 
muscles, sometimes above and sometimes below the posterior part 
of the cannon. Great attention should be paid to this point, for the 
carpal or tarsal sheath does not, as has long been supposed, pro- 
long itself between the perforans or perforatus tendon, but between 
the perforans and this band of which we are now speaking ; hence, 
if due attention is not paid to the actual anatomy of the part, it 
* Professor Rigot, of the school at Alfort, has, in his “ Treatise on Articu- 
lations,” already pointed out many peculiar pathological alterations of which 
this band is frequently the seat. 
