D. PLANTAR NEURECTOMY.

As a last resort in the treatment of many diseases of the foot the
operation of neurectomy is often advised. It will be wise, therefore, to
insert a description of the operation here.

_Derivation of the Word_.--For many years the operation was known simply as
'nerving' or 'unnerving,' and it was not until 1823, at the suggestion
of Dr. George Pearson, that Percival introduced the word _neurotomy_
to signify the operation with which we are now about to deal. The word
neurotomy, however, used strictly, means the act or practice of dissection
of nerves, and, when applied to the operation as practised to-day,
describes only a step in the procedure.

As the operation really consists in cutting down upon, and afterwards
excising a portion of the nerve, the modern appellation of
_neurectomy_--from the Greek _neuron_, a nerve; and _tome_, a cutting,
signifying the cutting out of a nerve or the portion of a nerve--is far
more suitable.

According as the nerve operated on is the plantar or the median, the
operation is known as plantar or median neurectomy.

_History of the Operation_.--It is to two English veterinarians that we
owe the introduction of the operation to the veterinary world. In 1819
Professor Sewell announced himself as the originator of neurotomy. This
claim was disputed by Moorcraft, who appears to have successfully
shown himself to be the real person entitled to that honour, he having
satisfactorily performed the operation on numerous animals for fully
eighteen years prior to Professor Sewell's announcement. It appears that