ginning of July.

[Illustration: FIG. 62.--DISSECTED EXTERNAL METACARPAL NERVE AND BRANCHES.
_a_, Metacarpal; _b_, anterior plantar; _c_, extra branch (probably from
the internal metacarpal), conveying sensation after division of the
external metacarpal.]

'The operation was performed in the ordinary way, without any difficulty
whatever. The wounds healed nicely, but the horse still continued to go
lame. Careful examination showed that there was still sensation on the
outside of the foot. Thinking that possibly there might be two external
metacarpal nerves, the horse was again cast, the operation being performed
slightly lower down. Only the main branch of the external metacarpal nerve
could be found. A piece of this was taken out, and the horse let up. On
examination, sensation was still found in the posterior part of the outside
of the foot. It was very evident that there was some abnormal distribution
of the nerve, as sensation was still being conveyed to that part of the
foot.

'As the horse was absolutely useless, and would have to be shot unless this
piece of nerve could be found, he was again thrown, and after he had been
anaesthetized I determined to follow the course of the nerve down, until I
found where the accessory branch came from. This I found a little below the
fetlock, about 1/2 inch below the point where the anterior plantar nerve is
given off from the metacarpal nerve. It was about 1/2 inch below the spot
where the anterior plantar nerve passes between the artery and vein of the
foot, and it was somewhat difficult to get at it.

'Fig. 62 shows the exact size and distribution of the nerves. After the
separation of the accessory branch, sensation was taken from the foot, and
the horse went perfectly sound.'

_Stumbling_.--In addition to the sequelae we have mentioned, it is urged
against the operation of neurectomy that one of the first effects of
depriving the foot of the sense of touch is a tendency on the part of
the animal to stumble. From the cases we have seen we cannot regard
this objection as a serious one. Nevertheless, as veterinarians, with a
knowledge of the physiology of the structures with which we are dealing,
we must treat the objection with respect, for, after all, we are bound to
allow that stumbling, and a bad form of it, would be but a natural sequence
of the operation we have just performed. The real fact remains, however,
that cases of stumbling, even immediately after the oper