252 
NEUROTOMY. 
given a sort of hooked curve (c b d), after 
the fashion of the first turn of a cork- 
screw; the intention being to pass the 
point of the blade ( d ), which is rounded 
off for that purpose, underneath the nerve, 
and so lodge it upon the bend (b) of the 
instrument, which is*made flat and smooth 
to receive it, and admit of sufficient force 
being used to raise the nerve out of its 
bed, without chance of injuring it. This 
done, and the nerve examined and identi- 
fied, one semi-rotation to the right of the 
handle of the instrument ( a ) on its axis 
will transfer the nerve from off the bend 
to upon the cutting part of the blade (c), 
whereupon any struggle the animal may 
make at the moment, or any force used 
at the time by the hand of the operator, 
effects its instantaneous division. 
The other instrument, though of totally 
different construction, having similar ob- 
jects, is the invention of 
Mr. Gowing, Veterinary Sur- 
geon, Camden Town. As will be seen 
by the cut representative of it (in p. 253), 
this instrument resembles a pair of curved 
scissors, one blade of which (a) is made 
with a mortise through it ( ) of sufficient 
length to completely receive within it the 
other, or cutting blade ( b ) ; the instrument 
admitting of thus being shut up, and then 
intended to answer simply the purpose 
of a tenaculum , to be passed underneath 
the nerve, and so raise it out of its bed 
for examination and identification. This 
done, and the operator satisfied he has 
hooked the nerve, and not either the 
plantar artery or the ligament of the 
pad, he gently permits the nerve to slide 
sufficiently forward upon the blade a to 
enable him to open the cutting blade (b), 
which now is ready, the moment the nerve slides back again 
upon the mortised shaft of the blade a, at the pleasure of the 
operator to be closed, and in being so, after the manner of a pair 
