114 
THE COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF THE 
less pain, and by a simpler operation, what you do with the 
firing-iron; and, moreover, diseases yield to the new system of 
treatment which would not yield to the old one.” 
Now, then, for the other side of the question, and another 
novelty as well. When I undertake,” says Mr. Turner, the 
cure of ring-hone, or spavin, or osseous tumours generally, or li¬ 
gamentous thickenings, the very moment 1 penetrate the tumour 
to a certain depth, the lameness vanishes, and the patient be¬ 
comes, in a manner, a sound horse. This may be considered as 
a novelty in veterinary practice, but it is a true fact; not occur¬ 
ring in every case, yet not unfrequently seen.” 
Now, supposing all this to be true—it appears to me to be partly 
a question, in sundry cases, merely of the relative amount of dif¬ 
ficulty and pain attendant on the two operations. For example : 
I have a horse lame from either of the above-named, often 
incurable,diseases. I am told, at the College,that the seton will,in 
all probability, make him sound. On the other hand, Mr. Turner 
tells me, the actual cautery, applied in a certain manner, has an 
equal chance; for, I take it for granted, the universal panacea is 
promised by neither of these celebrated practitioners. The one, 
however, neurotomizes my nag with his knife, the other with a hot 
iron, and there is a strong probability of a cure. Then what should 
I, as a commonly humane man, do in this case? Undoubtedly 
I should endeavour to ascertain the relative amount of suffering 
and peril attendant on the respective operations, and decide upon 
that which may afford the least—supposing, of course, the 
chances of cure to be equal. Still, I am here also taking for 
granted, that neurotomizing the part is the principal agent in the 
cure; whereas Mr. Turner insists on the additional aid of the 
artificial bandage, afterwards, as another important agent in 
causing the absorption of osseous or other tumours. 
But another question arises here. Will the seton do all that 
the cautery has been found to do? For example, Would it 
have cured the Surry huntsman’s horse of his two broken-down 
legs? (I confess I should much like to see this question an¬ 
swered—as far as it can be answered—the actual proof being 
wanting.) That it is the safest and the best remedy for some 
kinds of lameness I see no reason to doubt, and especially for 
those of the hip, hock, shoulder, and stifle; but I must hear 
more of its general success ere I can believe it will be allowed 
to replace the iron in the practice of country veterinarians, or in 
the stables of hunters, coach-horses, and others whose labour is 
severe. 
In the discussion of this subject one circumstance cannot be 
overlooked, and that is, the sort of horse to be operated upon. 
