NEUROTOMY. 
367 
our own country, a man of humanity too. He is speaking of those 
who refuse to adopt, and he thinks unfairly and illiberally oppose 
certain notions and imagined discoveries of his ; “ and, what is 
worse, when the truth in clearest evidence lies before them, 
instead of embracing it joyfully, they have tried every way of 
stifling her, by wilful misrepresentations and abuse of those who 
had espoused her cause. And, next to these miserable courses, 
they have added a barbarity surpassing in refined cruelty even the 
unsoling or any other cruelty ever proposed by the old farriers, 
that of nerving the horse's legs when they were not relieved by 
their injudicious measures, and so destroyed the very funda- 
mental properties of the foot, instead of pursuing the natural and 
most obvious means of prevention and relief from the evil. 
Seeing and deeply feeling the very great injury done to the 
animals as well as to the public and ourselves, we cannot on 
such an occasion but express warmly our natural and we believe 
just indignation at such conduct*.” I can only say of a passage 
like this, that, instead of being compelled to record it, I wish 
that I could blot it out for ever. 
Mr. Sewell advocates the cause of Neurotomy. — Well, gentle- 
men, this noble operation (which I have no hesitation in pre- 
dicting will be practised and valued in proportion as veterinary 
science progresses, and interest and humanity, here inseparably 
combined, operate on the mind of the horse-owner) for awhile 
fell into disesteem and disuse. It could never have been 
lost to the world — but its triumph might have been delayed and 
impaired. It however fortunately happened that Mr. Sewell, 
very soon after his appointment as Assistant Professor at the 
Veterinary College, hesitated not to avail himself of every oppor- 
tunity to put it to the test, and expressed his firm conviction of 
its value. He at once adopted the plan of excision of a portion 
of the nerve. He made a variety of experiments on the states 
and diseases of the foot in which it would be beneficial or injuri- 
ous ; and those in which its important effects would be best pro- 
moted, and the usefulness of the horse most effectually secured by 
function of secretion as dependent upon the brain and nerves, he at once 
allowed of the closeness of the link ; and in reply to the objection raised, that 
secretion goes on in the horse’s foot after an excision of a portion of the 
nerves which lead to it, lie stated that there are yet filaments which have not 
been divided ; and even if these were, the bloodvessels are pervaded with 
nervous tissue sufficient (!) to carry on secretion.” Is the theory of the 
nervous system taught at the Royal Veterinary College so loose and un- 
satisfactory, that even one of the rising luminaries of our profession should 
thus express himself? He is to be forgiven when a veterinary professor 
uses the language quoted in the text — but such times ought to be passing 
away with us. 
* Mr. Bracy Clark on the Foot of the Horse, p. 56 . 
