666 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
moved preparatory to redressing, and a careful examination of 
the parts made. This examination revealed the presence upon 
the inside of the leg, right back of the metatarsus, and between 
its middle and lower third, of a clean incision about an inch in 
length in the skin over the tendons ; and on passing the finger 
into this incision, I came upon the perforans tendon cleanly cut 
through, and the perforatus nicked on its outer edge, but not 
cut through. I placed my free hand upon the opposite side of 
the leg, and passed my finger beyond the ends of the cut tendon, 
and I could feel it through the uninjured skin on the opposite 
side. After this second examination, I amended my diagnosis, 
to u Accidental Tenotomy of the Flexor Pedis Perforans, with 
Laceration of the Suspensory Ligament as a Complication,” and 
reasoned, that the owner of the sharp blade, who had severed 
that stout trace with so clean a cut, had performed the u tenot¬ 
omy ” with the same stroke. Bearing heavily upon his knife, 
to cut the trace, he could not stop its impetus in time (after it 
passed through the leather) to prevent plunging it into the 
mare’s leg. Entering as it did, between the two tendons (nick¬ 
ing the posterior one as it entered), the mare had suddenly 
straightened out her leg on feeling the prick from the knife, 
tightened the tendons upon the blade (situated crosswise between 
them, held firm in the man’s hand, as he regained his balance, 
preparatory to withdrawing it as quickly as it had entered), and 
severed the one in relation to the cutting edge, the perforans. 
The mate then sprang to her feet and lacerated the suspensory 
ligament in using the leg with the tendon already severed, to 
regain the standing position, unconscious of the 
fact that the tendon was divided. Hence, undue 
strain was thrown upon the suspensory ligament, 
lacerating its fibres. 
A steel brace, of the following pattern, was 
now placed upon the limb. The portion of the 
brace, represented by a band going around the 
front of the hoof, has three holes to receive 
screws, to screw it to the hoof, one in the cen¬ 
tre, and one on each end. The leg was first 
dressed and bandaged, then other bandages, over 
the brace, binding the leg to it, and bringing the 
ends of the divided tendon in perfect apposition. 
These dressings were renewed every second or 
third day, and the brace kept in place for six¬ 
teen days, the mare remaining in the slings. 
