bathed with a cold 5 per cent. solution of carbolic acid
and swabbed dry. Attention to these details will serve to leave the wound
in that favourable condition in which it heals nicely, and with the minimum
amount of trouble.

_Preliminary Steps_.--By some practitioners the operation is performed with
the animal standing, local anaesthesia having been first obtained by the use
of cocaine, or an ethyl chloride spray. There is no gainsaying the fact,
however, that the operation of neurectomy is a painful one, and that, with
most operators, success will be more fully guaranteed with the animal cast
and the limb held in a suitable position by an assistant.

The animal is thrown by the hobbles upon the side of the leg which is to be
operated on. The cannon of the upper fore-limb is then fixed to the cannon
of the upper hind, as described under the section of this chapter devoted
to the methods of restraint, and the lower limb freed from the hobbles and
drawn forward by an assistant by means of a stout piece of cord round the
pastern.

An alternative method of holding the limb is to bind both fore-legs
together above the knee by means of the side-line run round a few times in
the form of the figure 8, and then fastened off. As in the former method,
the lower foot is then removed from the hobble, and again held forward by
an assistant. By either method the inside of the limb is operated on first.

[Illustration: FIG. 57.--THE ESMARCH RUBBER BANDAGE AND TOURNIQUET.]

Although it is not absolutely necessary, it is an advantage, especially to
the inexperienced operator, to apply before operating an Esmarch's bandage
and tourniquet (Fig. 57). This expels the greater part of the blood from
the limb, and renders the operation comparatively bloodless.

[Illustration: FIG. 58.--RUBBER TOURNIQUET WITH WOODEN BLOCK.]

The Esmarch bandage is composed of solid rubber, and with it the limb is
bandaged tightly from below upwards. On reaching the knee the tourniquet is
stretched round the limb, fastened by means of its buckle and strap, and
the bandage removed. Those who feel they can dispense with the bandage use
the tourniquet alone. For this purpose the form depicted in Fig. 58, and
the one in general use at the Royal Veterinary College, is more suitable,
on account of its wooden block, which may be placed so as to press on the
main artery of supply.

[Illustration: Fig. 59. NEURECTOMY BISTOURY.]

_Instruments Required_.--These sh