492 
ON THE NAVICULAR LAMENESS 
showed a good deal of disease and thickening about the entrance 
of the caecum, three or four pustular collections at that point, and 
the mucous coat of the ilium, for some little distance forward 
covered with pus, but not so much discoloured as I expected. In 
such a case any attempt may be justifiable; and, in regard to the 
opening of the abdomen, I once cut away from a wound nearly two 
pounds of protruded and strangulated omentum, and the animal did 
well; and we all know the necessary and commonly harmless 
opening of the side in spaying sows. I once myself, in compli- ' 
ance with the wish of an experimental master of mine, spayed ■ 
lour two-year-old large Yorkshire heifers, and lost only one I 
^wise read—though I do not recollect where—and heard 
ot filly foals being spayed with safety. 
ON THE NAVICULAR LAMENESS AND NERVE 
OPERATION. 
By James Castley, Esq., V. S. 12th Royal Lancers*. 
Dear Sir, NOTWITHSTANDING any thing that can be 
said to the contiaiy, to you it is that we are indebted for our pre¬ 
sent knowledge, nay, I may say, for all we know of the navicular 
lameness in horses, tor, although it may be shown that some 
of the older farriers had occasionally stumbled upon a diseased 
appearance of that bone, yet as they made no use of the fact, and 
seemed to have no clear idea either of its nature or consequences, 
I think we may fairly set down their knowledge of the matter 
as going for very little, or nothing. 
With respect to the nerve operation, whatever merit that 
measure may claim as a remedy for foot lameness, that merit as 
undoubtedly belongs to our friend Mr. William Sewell. Let us 
be just, and give to every one his due. 
A great deal has been said both for and against this operation ; 
but it appeals to me that, umortunately, when it was brought 
forvvaid at fiist, theie was a great deal too much expected from 
d> d was to accomplish impossibilities. And for a long time, it 
must be confessed, it was practised too indiscriminately to give it 
any thing like a fair chance of keeping its ground, or of establish¬ 
ing its fame. The abuse of any thing will get it into discredit. 
But although it has not been attended with all the success at first 
% 
* For this valuable paper we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. James 
J inner, to whom it was addressed. 
