THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
199 
caustic, may be followed by serious complications. Ail old or 
complicated caries will offer an increased resistance to the treat¬ 
ment by liquid caustics, in proportion as there is more or less 
difficulty in bringing them in direct contact with the necrotic 
points. 
The third method of treatment is that of the removal of the 
cartilage. This operation, first recommended by Lafosse, senior, 
in 1754, was often performed by his son, and may be considered 
one of the most valuable results of the application of anatomical 
knowledge to the practice of veterinary surgery. This operation 
was also performed by Bourgelat and his students, by Girard, 
Hurtrel Darboval, and was principally studied and described by 
Renault. In Germany, notwithstanding the writings of Lan- 
genbaclier, Dieterichs, and Rertwig, it did not meet with ap¬ 
proval, and English veterinaries seldom, if ever, resorted to it.. 
At present, even in France, it is seWom performed, except in 
case of failure by the caustic injection treatment, and this is often 
the case where the disease is situated 1 in the anterior part of the 
fibro-cartilage, where the cartilaginous tissue predominates, or 
where the vitality is diminished, and above all, where ossification 
has taken place. It is an operation of the greatest delicacy, and 
accompanied with great risks on account of the proximity of the 
joint of the foot, and it requires an experienced operator and 
thorough practitioner to justify a hope of successful results. It 
consists in the excision, by layers, of the diseased cartilage, and in 
avoiding injury to the coronary band and to the podophyllous 
tissue, which are essential elements of the organization of the 
foot. It is also essential to avoid injury of the lateral ligament 
of the foot joint, which is close to the cartilage, and above all, 
of the synovial capsule of the joint, which is directly covered by 
the cartilage. The partial or entire extirpation of the cartilage 
can be performed. In the first case, only a portion of the ne¬ 
crosed fibro-cartilage is removed. Yatel, Sanstas, Renault, Bell 
and Lafosse have reported many cases of recovery by this mode 
of operation; but, it is not likely to be thoroughly successful, 
unless in circumstances as favorable as those accompanying the 
treatment by liquid caustics. It is generally much better when 
