556 
OPERATION OF TENOTOMY IN THE HORSE. 
stable, I laid a little lint over the small puncture I had made 
in the skin, and over that a light calico bandage, which was 
continuous from the fetlock to the hock. This I ordered to 
be kept moist with some weak vinegar and water, and by no 
means to allow the horse to lie down. His diet to consist 
of green meat, bran mashes, and a few oats. 
I saw no more of the horse until the 16 th, a week after the 
operation. He was then standing with his heel fairly on the 
ground, having on his foot a shoe of the ordinary kind. 
The leg was free from swelling, and the small puncture in 
the skin had quite healed, indeed, the place where it was 
made could only be found with difficulty. But in passing 
the hand down the limb, over the parts operated upon, I 
could detect a slight bulging, which was doubtlessly caused by 
the exuded lymph that occupied the space between the 
divided ends of the tendon. Before leaving, I gave orders 
that the horse should not be allowed to lie down for another 
week, and that the limb should be kept wet, especially over 
the part operated upon, with weak vinegar and water, as be¬ 
fore. At the end of the week he might be allowed to lie down. 
One month after the operation was performed, the horse 
was turned into a pasture field, where he remained another 
month, after which time he was put to work again. I now 
lost sight of him, but was informed that his leg w T as as free 
from deformity as the opposite one, and the heel came equally 
as well down upon the ground. 
I heard no more of the horse until the end of about 
twelve months, when I was told that he was unable to get 
the heel down to the ground, but that the defect was not 
to the same extent as before the tendon was divided. 
The way in which this occurred, I shall endeavour to explain 
hereafter. 
The other case that I have alluded to is as follows:—A 
letter was received by me respecting the after treatment of 
the following; case. 
o 
(copy of the letter.) 
“ January 8, 1852. 
“ I performed the operation of tenotomy on a large cart-horse, eight 
or nine years old. He was so bad, that every time he stepped his fet¬ 
lock joint came to the ground. [1 suppose the writer means, that the 
front of the fetlock joint came to the ground.] He had been wearing a 
shoe having a piece of iron, two inches long, projecting from the toe. 
I operated on the outside of the fore leg ; after the tendon was divided 
the cut ends could not be less than two inches apart. / poured some 
Tincture of Myrrh into the wound, and put on a bandage, and gave the 
