THE SCIENCE VERSUS THE ART OF VETERINARY SURGERY. 
555 
note the introduction of new operations for the alleviation of 
pathological conditions which were incurable previous to their 
introduction ; as for roaring, due to “ laryngeal hemiplegia,” 
“ arytenectomy,” and the still more recent ‘‘arytenoideraphy ” 
for the alleviation of the same condition. And for “ chronic 
tendonitis,” “ periostosis of the fetlock ” and like conditions 
that resist firing, blistering and other modes of treatment, 
there is relief to be obtained by “ mesoneurectomy,” “ median 
neurotomy.” And, besides the new operations that are 
continually being presented, there are new and advanced 
methods of performing old operations made possible by strict 
“ asepsis.” 
One circumstance which leads me to this unwilling conclu¬ 
sion is, that there are comparatively few men in general practice 
who ever attempt any of the classic operations, and not a few 
who evade the more ordinary ones, even if their results by 
other modes of treatment are not so beneficial. Yet, I have 
heard some of those same men earnestly proclaiming to some 
interested listener the great strides that have been made in 
veterinary surgery and telling of the different new operations 
now in vogue, in a manner sufficiently convincing that they 
were not at all behind in the literature of the day on those sub¬ 
jects, although entirely wanting in the application of the 
methods they were describing, having never performed them 
themselves, but contentedly basking in the reflection of the glory 
of those members of the profession that had. Such content, 
gentlemen, and the feeling that such operations are all right 
for Prof. So and So, but are too much for me,” is the secret to a 
great extent of the art of surgery not keeping abreast with 
the science in general practice. And should each one of us ask 
ourselves the question, “ Am I up to my ideal veterinary 
operator or am I on my way to getting up to my ideal? ” Or, 
on the other hand, “ Am I not possibly behind some of the 
bold, though perhaps less ‘ scientific operators ’ of a decade 
ago ? ” Which of the two questions, gentlemen, would many 
of us have to answer in the affirmative ? I fear, the latter. 
