2.38 HEALTH AND DISEASE 



FRACTURE OF THE BONES OF THE FACE 



Fracture of the facial bones is not as common as might be expected 

 considering the prominent and exposed position of the face. From time 

 to time, however, such cases are brought under the notice of the veterinary 

 practitioner as the consequence of external violence. The face is some- 

 times brought forcibly into contact with fixed objects, such as walls, trees, 

 or lamp-posts, when horses run away, or it is struck by other horses while 

 grazing, or brought into collision with various moving bodies. The jaw- 

 bones are sometimes broken by becoming fixed on hooks, in chains, or in 

 trappy positions. 



FRACTURE OF THE FRONTAL BONE 



This bone, forming a considerable area of the face, and arching over the 

 eye, is much exposed, and sometimes sufi'ers fracture from one or another 

 of the causes referred to above. 



The fracture may involve that portion of the face situated between 

 the eyes, or the orbital process which arches over them. The importance 

 of fracture of this bone, whether in the one part or the other, is centred 

 in the degree of displacement which attends it. Fracture without displace- 

 ment in either case does not give rise to any serious symptoms unless the 

 blow is high up and the brain suffers concussion. 



A little swelling and drooping of the eyelid, and a blood-shot condition 

 of the mucous membrane of the eye with a discharge of tears, may be all 

 that is to be seen when the orbital process of the frontal bone is broken 

 without displacement. In these cases but little requires to be done. A 

 mild aperient, bran diet, and cold-water irrigation of the part will suffice 

 to keep down local inflammation and assist repair. Where, however, the 

 bone is depressed the eye will at the same time have suffered more or less 

 damage, and the sooner the displaced bone is lifted into its place again the 

 better. This may be effected by the employment of a bone lever and 

 gentle continuous upward pressure, after which irrigation with cold water 

 and a dose of physic are all that will be required. 



Fracture of that part of the frontal bone between the eyes invariably 

 occasions more or less injury to the frontal sinuses whose walls they assist 

 in forming, and as these cavities communicate with the nostrils some 

 blood-stained discharge may flow from them. If the force producing the 

 fracture has been very considerable more or less depression of the broken 

 pieces will have taken place, and it may be that the bone has been broken 

 into several fragments. Any displacement should be remedied at once 



