406 
AN ESSAY ON CHRONIC PODOTROCHOLITIS. 
To England is due the merit of having first demonstrated the 
existence of chronic podotrocholitis as a special disease, and of 
having established the basis of the pathology, as well as of the 
therapeutics, of this affection. Turner laid the first foundation; 
and, although the honour of the discovery of chronic podotrocholitis 
does not, as he affirms, belong to him, it must be confessed he 
possesses a certain right of priority, being the first to appreciate 
its importance. Turner* * * § states that his discovery dates from 
1816; that he communicated it to Coleman and Sewell; but that 
his compatriot, Coleman, had not been silent respecting this dis- 
ease, although he confessed that he had never seen a case of it, 
and entertained doubts of its existence t. Let us, therefore, admit 
that Turner opened a new road to pathological studies of the feet : 
in it he was followed by Brigas, Percivall, Moorcroft, Goodwin, 
and Sewell, who laboured with great zeal in the cultivation of this 
new field. Sewell, especially, deserves praise in a therapeutic 
point of view, for the frequent applications of the operation of 
neurotomy as a means of curing chronic podotrocholitis, and for 
the improvements which this operation has received at his hands. 
The discoveries made in England soon became known on the 
continent. Girard J incited the French veterinary surgeons to re- 
search by publishing an analysis of Perci vall’s lectures. Berger § 
having learned to recognise chronic podotrocholitis in Great Britain, 
communicated his acquired knowledge to his compatriots. At 
first the French veterinarians took less interest in the affection 
than in neurotomy : they rejoiced too much over the surgical ac- 
quisition by the means of which it was in future to be possible 
promptly to remedy every obscure and obstinate disease which had 
its seat in the foot. Running away with the application of a new 
remedy — contenting themselves with the removal of a symptom 
of the lameness — they forgot the study of the disease, and not only 
made no progress in it, but altogether neglected it. 
Nor did the scientific publications of Germany do more towards 
advancing the pathology of chronic podotrocholitis. While the 
French took but a very restricted view of it, the writings of Ger- 
man authors were distinguished by an apathy by no means in 
accordance with the observing spirit, the enthusiasm of the German 
nation for all foreign discoveries, and the ardour with which they 
usually set to work to improve and perfect them. 
After these historical remarks, the author passes in review the 
* The Veterinarian for 1829, p. 53. 
t Observations on the Structure, Economy, and Diseases of the Foot of 
the Horse, 1802 ; vol. ii., p. 47. 
f Recueil de Mddecine V4t£rinaire, 1824, p. 441. 
§ Journal Pratique, 1828. 
