378 
NEUROTOMY. 
aware that many sportsmen, and some of our eminent veteri- 
nary surgeons too, are opposed to this operation, from their 
having witnessed ill success attending it ; still, with ail 
deference due to Professor VarnelPs statements, I cannot 
come to his conclusions. In fact, I have seldom had cause 
to repent of having operated, although, of course, all cases 
are not equally satisfactory. Indeed, what operation is there 
that will always terminate successfully ? It is gratifying to 
me to know, that in by far the majority of cases which I have 
operated upon, I have given satisfaction to my employers ; 
and, with me, the operation will be still advocated in all 
proper cases. 
The cases referred to by the Professor, must have been 
improperly selected ones for the operation, or the patients 
were not properly treated both preparatory and subse- 
quently to the operation. There is no better guidance for 
the operation, than that given by the late Professor Sewell — 
and it would be well if his advice and instructions were 
always carried out — which was, to select those cases that 
would redound to the credit of the operator, and not con- 
found other diseases of the foot with navicular-joint lameness, 
such as pumiced feet, chronic disease of the laminae, &c., 
and, also, not to operate in very advanced stages of ulcera- 
tion of the bone, or when there is disorganization of the 
capsular ligament, and the flexor tendon; the fibres being 
attenuated from long adhesion and attrition against an 
ulcerated bone. In such cases, of course, the operation 
might have the effect of causing the hoof to slough off. 
The operation, to be successful, should be performed when 
the first symptoms of organic disease of the joint commences, 
and the horse’s action is light and free, and not of a jarring 
character. In cases of this kind, the operation is invariably 
successful. I have performed it on several hunters, who, in 
their prime of life, from six to eight years of age, were lame 
from navicular disease, and have never heard of one case of 
a hoof sloughing off. Some of these horses have carried the 
huntsmen of our crack packs with perfect safety. I there- 
fore contend, that if proper cases are selected, and the 
animals are well prepared before and after the operation, and 
properly shod, which latter is frequently not done, the operation 
will prove as valuable a one as Professor Sewell asserted 
it to be. 
In addition to the navicular-joint disease, I have, in several 
cases of ossification and ulceration of the sessamoid joints, 
after firing repeatedly and rest have failed to do any good, 
divided the metacarpal branch of the nerve, first above the 
