No neurectomy should be undertaken unless this contingency has been allowed for.  The owner should be advised of it by the surgeon, who should at the same time enjoin on his client the absolute necessity of giving to the neurectomized foot daily and careful attention.

Loss of Tone in the Non-sensitive Area.—­In addition to the mischief resulting from a wound going undetected, it must be remembered that the loss of tone resulting from the operation gives to every wound (however slight), in the region supplied by the removed nerve, a sluggish and troublesome character.  Difficult to deal with as wounds about the foot ordinarily are, they are rendered more so by a previous neurectomy.

Gelatinous Degeneration.  This is a condition liable to occur in cases where the operation has been too long deferred, and when considerable structural alteration has already taken place in the shape of diseased bone or tendon, more especially in navicular disease.  It consists in a peculiar softening of the structures of the limb, accompanied with enlargement, due to swelling of the connective tissues, the enlargement and softening generally making itself first apparent by a soft, pulpy swelling in the hollow of the heel.

From this onwards the enlargement increases, and lameness becomes excessive, the animal going more and more on his heels, until, finally, no portion of the solar surface of the foot comes to the ground at all.

The case is hopeless, and destruction should be advised.

Reported Case.—­’The patient, a brown carriage gelding, was brought to the Royal Veterinary College infirmary in a cart on December 31, the only previous history obtainable being that it had suddenly fallen lame a month before.

’The symptoms presented were excessive lameness of the near fore-limb.  On being trotted, the toe was elevated each time the foot reached the ground, progression being entirely on the heels.  Separation of the hoof for about 2 inches at the hinder part of the coronet; oedematous swelling from foot to knee, extending during the next three days to the elbow.  Great tenderness between the knee and the fetlock; below this no sensation whatever, as a pin was inserted in several places round the coronet without causing any symptoms of pain.  On further examination, two unnerving scars were found.  No treatment was adopted, and the horse was destroyed on January 6.

’On dissecting the leg, the following appearances presented themselves: 

’The limb was very much enlarged, due to thickening of the connective tissue, the skin being removed only with difficulty.  The tendons were soft and much thickened.  A rupture of the skin at the coronet, just where the skin meets the wall of the foot.  Large extravasations of blood at the back of the tendons, situated in the lower half. External nerve trunk had become reunited, at the point of junction there being a hard lump about the size of a walnut. Internal