REMOVAL OF A SUPERNUMERARY LEG. 
9 
size, so as to be, at the pastern joint, about two thirds as 
large as the other, and this throughout nearly the whole of 
its length. It had an osseous connexion. Its inferior 
extremity was free from such union. It articulated with a 
phalange, in the same way as the other bone, from which it 
branched. This phalange (long pastern bone) was nearly as 
large as the other, and at its inferior extremity a well-deve¬ 
loped os corona, navicular bone, pedal bone, and a hoof as 
large as the other, were regularly arranged and connected. 
These three supernumerary phalanges were united to the 
true limb by the tegumental covering common to both; but, 
as the leg projected some little distance inwardly from the 
other, it had somewhat the appearance of a web-footed 
animal. The hoof itself was quite free, and, as seen in the 
woodcut, inclined inwards, the outer part of the toe only 
resting upon the ground. 
After the foal had been in the College a few days, I 
operated upon the limb, the little animal first being placed 
partially under the influence of chloroform, which so far 
blunted sensation as to effectually prevent that amount of 
struggling which renders operations on the horse tedious. 
Anaesthetic agents of this class may be used in this way with 
great advantage and perfect safety. Not that I have known any 
fatal results to follow their use in the lower animals, even 
when full action has been produced by them ; but I have 
often noticed that patients are a much longer time in reco¬ 
vering than they are when the above mode of procedure is 
adopted, the possibility of any serious consequences arising 
from their use being very much lessened, and, at the same 
time, our object, namely, that of performing an operation 
with as little pain as possible, is attained. 
Unfortunately, practitioners, as a rule, especially those in 
the country, have not the assistance of others who are fami¬ 
liar with the action of chloroform, and who can administer 
it with that nicety so that “ anaesthesia” is only partially 
produced, and the patient kept in a half sensitive state 
during the time an operation may last. 
On this occasion Mr. H. Corby, the demonstrator of 
anatomy in this institution, kindly undertook to chloro- 
formize my little patient; and, by carefully watching the 
breathing and the state of the pulse, he was enabled to 
keep the animal in that state of insensitiveness whereby the 
struggles were but few, and those only very feeble. When 
the anasthaetic was wholly withdrawn the colt very quickly 
recovered itself, and rose on its legs, as if nothing had been 
done to it. 
XXXII. 
o 
