24. The ancients, then, were mistaken, with respect to the indications in this disease, which are, not to resist muscular contraction left free and unimpeded, but to check and prevent this contraction, by the means formerly pointed out (16). It is a principle generally acknowledged at the present day, that sutures ought not to be used as a mean of approximating divided parts, but only to keep the edges of parts already approximated in perfect contact. But, in the present case, the means of approximation being sufficient for the purpose of exact contact, sutures are altogether unnecessary. This, however, does not hold true in every case, though certain practitioners, who have too generally rejected the use of sutures, contend that it does. Finally, however, these means have been excluded from the treatment of the division of the tendo Achillis, and the doctrine of the Academy of Surgery, though erroneous in many other cases, has established, with regard to the present one, the true practice. 25. _Third method._ It is to the celebrated Petit that we are indebted for that method of treating the division of the tendo Achillis, which consists merely in position maintained by apparatus. Having ascertained that the extension of the foot brought the fragments into contact, he conceived the idea of continuing this extension throughout the whole treatment, for the purpose of continuing the contact also. This was a happy idea, the simplicity of which recommended it to practitioners, and which, being once discovered, has formed the common basis of all the numerous processes devised since by different authors. 26. When we consider the action of these several processes, and compare it with the indications formerly laid down (16), we may divide the processes themselves into three general classes. Thus, some of them fulfil only the first and third of these indications, namely, the permanent extension of the foot, and a regular compression made on the leg; others fulfil only the first and second, the latter of which consists in keeping the leg constantly flexed on the thigh; while those of the third and last class, fulfil the first indication only. This manner of classing the processes, will shorten the consideration of each of them individually, since it is evident that each class is chargeable with one general inconvenience, namely, that of being deficient with respect to one or two of the leading indications. I shall examine nothing, therefore, but the disadvantages peculiar to each.