MEMOIR ON TENOTOMY. 
500 
so doing to spare the toe and lower the heels as much as possible, 
and applying to the foot thus prepared a long-toed shoe (fer a 
pince) in order to throw that portion of the weight of the body 
which usually rests on the front of the hoof to the back. 
The old mode of operating was as follows : — The animal having 
been thrown and properly secured, a long incision, of three or three- 
and-a-half inches, was made on the external side of the tendinous 
region of the cannon, in the space situated between the tubercles of 
the splent bone and the middle of these bones ; then the vessels 
and nerves, the position of which we have described, were left on 
one side, and the tendons separated if the operation was to be 
simple, or taken together if it was intended to be double; lastly, in 
order to facilitate the section, they were raised from the wound by 
the aid of curved scissors, or with an instrument constructed ex- 
pressly for that purpose, called an elevator (lem- tendon ). The 
operation being completed, a slightly compressive bandage was 
placed over the wound, either dry or with some simple dressing, 
and four and twenty or thirty hours afterwards this was removed. 
About the second or third day suppuration commenced ; the pus 
secreted was at first limpid, but sometimes became bloody and 
foetid — the edges of the wound had a tendency to turn backwards 
— the limbs swelled — and a violent fever of re-action shortly mani- 
fested itself. 
At the expiration of ten days the inflammatory symptoms died 
away, and the tendons began to cicatrize. 
Latterly, experience having proved that wounds made beneath 
the integuments are not so serious as those which are constantly 
exposed to atmospheric influence, a mode of cutting the tendons 
without making a larger incision in the skin than is just suf- 
ficient to admit a bistoury with a very narrow and thin blade has 
been devised. This mode of operating, which was described by 
M. H. Bouley in the “ Compte Rendu of the Proceedings of the 
Royal Veterinary School at Alfort for 1840,” is recommended by 
this, namely, that it favours the cicatrization of wounds made in 
the tendon by the first intention, prevents suppuration and inflam- 
mation from supervening, and thus ensures a more rapid cure, and 
leaves scarcely any scar on the skin. 
When the operation of plantar tenotomy is to be thus performed, 
the animal is thrown and firmly secured ; a straight tenotomy knife, 
having a very narrow, thin blade, somewhat resembling that of a 
pen-knife, is then introduced between the perforans and perforating 
tendons; by these means an incision is effected in the not unfre- 
quently indurated cellular tissues which enclose between them the 
flexor tendons of the foot. This incision is only some few lines 
in extent. The instrument is then replaced by another of the 
