ON WOUNDED AND DIVIDED TENDONS. 
195 
midway between the fetlock, joint and bend of the hock, which 
was perfectly divided, and the animal walked upon her leg, having 
lost the proper control over the foot. Fortunately for the owner, the 
accident occurred a short distance from his own residence, in Kent. 
I attended the case. The external wound being small, the skin was 
brought closely together, and healed by the first intention ; the leg, 
generally, was also encased with pasteboard in mucilage, which 
in twenty-four hours after its application became a solid compress, 
aided by many yards of bandaging. I likewise kept the patient 
tied up by two halter reins to the rack for one month, without her 
being allowed to lie down or move out of the stall. The result was 
a perfect cure, without leaving a shade of lameness, or apparent 
elongation, or undue obliquity of limb ; and the German sports- 
man eventually sold the mare to a foreign nobleman for 150 guineas. 
I consider that compelling my patient to remain in the stand- 
ing position so long proved a great auxiliary in her recovery, by 
causing the divided ends of the extensor tendon to be almost in 
perpetual approximation, her weight being very generally borne 
upon the injured limb, but which could not have been so readily 
accomplished had the injury inflicted been a divided flexor instead 
of a divided extensor; and here it is also proper for me to notice, 
that neither my compress or bandages were once removed after 
the first application, until the expiration of three months, when the 
cure appeared to have been perfected. 
I am confident that the more mechanical are our devices which 
may be brought to bear in the multiplicity of these cases, the better ; 
and the same will also apply to open joints, consistent with sound 
principles of surgery. In adopting means whereby pain is sub- 
dued, and the limb timely supported, indications of improvement 
will often be manifested to the inexpressible delight of a zealous 
practitioner, and the owner of a valuable hunter greatly cheered 
by the ultimate prospect of success. 
This is a stage when science gains a triumphant ascendancy 
over the vulgar doings of the empiric, and the modus curandi be- 
comes the topic of conversation among the scientific friends of our 
employers, to the no small credit of the veterinarian ; while the 
advocates of the old hot oils plan of treatment, if any should there 
be in the discussion, are usually put to silence by our medical 
friends of the sister sciences with an energy becoming their high 
character and position in society. 
[To be continued.] 
Croydon, 
March 15th, 1847. 
