138 
DIVISION OF THE FLEXOR TENDON. 
udder was quite indurated ; matter had occasionally formed, and 
ulcers had appeared on various parts of her bag, in the space from 
October 1840 to July 1841, when the ointment was applied, and 
continued until September. The bag was then quite soft and of 
its natural size, and the cow began to improve in condition. 
DIVISION OF THE FLEXOR TENDON IN A HORSE. 
By Mr. Samuel Ramsden, VS., Ripon. 
Observing in your last number a record of this operation by 
Mr. Carlisle, and having had a similar one about the same time, 
but differently performed, I am induced to state the mode in 
which I proceeded ; and I am glad to say that complete success 
attended the operation. 
The horse is the property of Mr. Dunn, of Patrick Brompton, 
near Bedale. He was placed under my care in October last. On 
examination I found a considerable contraction of the flexor ten- 
don in the off fore leg. He stood on the tip of the toe ; the foot 
was also much contracted. Ossification of the lateral cartilages 
existed to a great extent, and the extensor tendon projected from 
the limb considerably. He is nine years old, and had been in 
this state more than two years. He worked in the plough until 
he became useless from the increasing contraction. 
After the usual preparation, I pared his foot well out ; reduced 
the heels as much as possible ; placed a shoe thinner at the toe 
than at the heel, turning it up behind in the shape of a staple 
or D, which I thought might be requisite. 
The horse was cast. I extended the leg forward, securing it to 
a fixture in the ground. The operation was effected by making a 
longitudinal incision sufficient only for the insertion of my finger 
through the skin midway between the knee and pastern joints, 
on the inside the limb, and posterior to the vessels and nerves. I 
then freed the tendons from their cellular connexion with the 
suspensory ligament with the finger, which also served to guide 
the knife in the division of the tendons, which was now ef- 
fect, directing the blade backwards, and taking care not to 
cut more of the skin than was necessary for the introduction of 
my finger. 
After the operation he walked about four hundred yards to a 
loose box. Finding his toe a little elevated, I placed a six-inch 
roller well padded round the arm above the knee joint, bringing a 
