308 DIVISION OF THE FLEXOR TENDONS IN A HORSE. 
examine him, and to determine whether any thing could be done 
He had been told that nothing could be of any avail, except 
dividing the tendons, to which he immediately consented, as by 
this time the horse was completely useless. 
The animal was then put under my care about the latter end 
of February 1843. Being in good condition at the time, a little 
treatment only was necessary previous for the operation. A pro- 
per dieting and purging were also had recourse to. I then pared 
out the foot, and put on a bar shoe, projecting at the posterior 
part of the foot about two inches, with a calkin welded on each 
heel, in order to support his leg, and prevent the obliquity of the 
pastern from being too great. 
About four days after adopting this treatment, I proceeded to 
cast the horse ; and then unloosed the diseased limb from the 
hobbles, and secured it with a webbing to a fixture. This is 
necessary, in order to extend it forwards and expose the leg for 
the operation. 
I then made a longitudinal incision about two inches in length 
from above downwards, through the integuments on the inside of 
the leg, midway between the carpus and pastern joint, and rather 
posterior to the bloodvessels and nerves. Afterwards, with my 
index finger I freed the skin from its connexion with the ten- 
dons, and introduced the handle of my scalpel between the 
tendons and the suspensory ligament, in order to separate the 
adhesions between them : this being effected, by the aid of an 
assistant I got the skin separated by means of two steel hooks, 
and held there until I flexed the toe of the foot upon the leg, 
when the tendons appeared prominent above the skin: after 
this, my finger was placed underneath the tendons, to serve as a 
guide for my knife. 
I then introduced a curved probe-pointed bistoury, directing 
the edge of it backwards, and divided the tendons by an oblique 
incision of about two inches in length, avoiding the bloodvessels 
and nerves. Finally, I placed the leg on my knee, as if going to 
bend a stick, and with a little force broke down the adhesions, 
and put the leg in its proper position. I then introduced my 
finger, and found that the tendons were separate two inches. 
The integuments were brought together by two sutures and the 
operation completed. The patient was then led into the stable, 
and a bandage with a little tow was applied on the wound. 
After being unloosed from the hobbles, he was seized with a 
shivering fit ; I therefore ordered him to be well clothed, a warm 
mash given him, and some chilled water. The shivering ceased 
in about two hours, and he was comfortable and warm, in which 
state he was locked up for the night. 
