A. A. HOI.COMBE 
426 
comes, may be affected with some severe form of disease that, 
debilitating his system, will soon excite the manifestations of 
glanders and then give rise to the so-called spontaneous develop¬ 
ment of an affection which he has kept within himself until 
then, and, which he had inherited from his mother in utero ? 
SUPPURATION OF THE FOOT AFTER NEUROTOMY. 
By A. A. Holcombe, D.V.S. 
On the 20th of October, 1879, I saw an eight-year old brown 
mare, with navicular-arthritis of both fore feet, complicated by 
side bones. She had been lame for the preceding nine months, a 
greater part of the time. For several weeks previous to my being 
called, she had been excessively lame, so that she was discontin¬ 
ued from work; simple exercise caused such suffering that her 
body was covered with sweat, and she could not be kept in con¬ 
dition. In the stable, she pointed continually, but most with the 
near foot. An unfavorable prognosis was given, and neurotomy 
recommended. After careful preparation, the operation was per¬ 
formed on the 24th, resulting in complete insensibility of both 
feet. She walked well, at once, and seemed entirely free from 
pain. The operating wounds healed kindly, by the second inten¬ 
tion, with the exception of the outside one on the off leg, which 
healed by the first intention. She improved rapidly in condition 
and spirits, and at the end of two weeks’ time, v r as taking a little 
walking exercise to the halter every day; yet at irregular inter¬ 
vals the near fore foot was advanced and seemed to cause a little 
uneasiness, although there was no lameness. At the end of four 
weeks she trotted sound as ever, and the feet presented a fine con¬ 
dition, with the exception of the fever. The cicatrices on the 
near fore leg were still unusually sensitive to compression. At 
the end of five weeks the mare was clipped, and the owner being 
desirous to obtain her use, she was put back to work in a coupe 
upon the city pavement. For the first few days she made two or 
