522 CAUSTIC OPERATION FOR BONE SPAVIN. 
Medical Veterinary Association, for his very kind remarks 
relative to my letter which appeared in the Veterinarian for 
April last, on the operation for roaring in the horse, with the 
results thereof. 
As that gentleman has also expressed his desire to know 
from some of the members of the profession something about 
the caustic operation for the removal of bone spavin, and not 
having seen any reply made on the subject through our 
chosen vehicle, the Veterinarian , I feel much pleasure in con¬ 
tributing my mite, by responding to his inquiries, hoping it 
may lead to still further discussion, either in those pages or 
among our professional brethren, the associates of the different 
valuable provincial Veterinary Medical Associations, respect¬ 
ing which, allow me to say, may their researches prove con¬ 
ducive to the further elevation of our profession, as an anti¬ 
dote to empiricism and a shield to the British public. 
I now proceed to describe the operation, and its results, 
as occurring under my own observation in the metropolis. 
Case 1. In the month of August, 1863, 1 was requested to 
see a brown mare, the property of Mr. C. Sylvester, who 
informed me that she had been causticked for bone spavins 
on both hocks by a charlatan, who obtained a livelihood by 
assuming the title of veterinary surgeon. On my examining 
the animal’s hocks I found the anterior portions denuded of 
the skin, which appeared to have desquamated; the capsular 
ligaments had nearly all sloughed away; the articular sur¬ 
faces around the margins were in situ , and exposed to the 
action of the atmosphere; a very peculiar and extremely dis¬ 
agreeable odour was emitted from the part, which induced 
me to examine the state of articulations, in which I dis¬ 
covered that extensive necrosis was going on, associated with 
ulceration all around each hock, and extending itself to the 
extensor metatarsi and annular ligament. I consequently 
considered the case as hopeless and dealt with it accordingly, 
by consigning the poor animal to the knacker. 
Feeling anxious to learn how the operation had been per¬ 
formed, the would-be veterinary surgeon and operator was 
sent for, when I questioned him, and pointed out to him his 
imprudence in attempting such an operation without a 
knowledge of the anatomy of the joint, and its consequences, 
but I met with all I could have expected, by his responding, 
i( Better luck next time.” I asked him to show me how he 
performed this cure-all operation, to which he consented, and 
I provided him with the limb of a dead horse, above the 
hock-joint, with the skin covering it, when he took out his 
pocket-knife and made a longitudinal incision through the 
