FKACTURE OF THE BONES OF THE HIND EXTREAHTY 261 



Fracture of the Tibia. — Fracture of this bone is compal■ati^'ely 

 frequent. Its greater length, more exposed position, and less ample pro- 

 tection by muscles than the femur render it more liable to succumb to 

 external violence. 



The internal surface of the bone is quite superficial, having no other 

 covering than the skin. This is its most vulnerable point, and when sharp 

 forcible blows are applied to it, it not unfrequently splits or breaks. 



Kicks, blows, false steps, collisions with cart-shafts, carriage-poles, and 

 stone walls, and violent struggling when cast either by accident or design- 

 edly for the purpose of an operation are the causes by which it is chiefly 

 produced. 



Symptoms. — The outward manifestations resulting from the mishap 

 will depend upon the more or less completeness of the fracture. Some- 

 times the bone is only partially broken through, and, the parts being 

 maintained in their natural position, comparatively little pain or incon- 

 venience is suffered; so little, indeed, that in some cases the nature of 

 the injury remains undetected for days and weeks, until by the strain of 

 work the fracture is rendered complete by the parts being torn asunder, or 

 the fragments becoming displaced in the act of lying down or rising from 

 the recumbent posture. In such circumstances the evidence of fracture 

 becomes clear and decisive; the horse fails to sujjport weight on the 

 injured limb, which, when raised from the ground, hangs limp and pendu- 

 lous, and crepitus is readily detected in it. 



Partial fracture may provoke more or less lameness, the seat of which 

 may or may not be indicated by swelling. But in the absence of swelling, 

 pres.sure applied over the surface of the bone will afford material evidence 

 of the existence of fracture. 



Treatment. — Where the fracture is complete the prospect of restoring 

 the horse to a state of usefulness is very remote, indeed so much so that it 

 is only where high value is set upon the patient for breeding purposes that 

 the result would be likely to prove at all satisfactory. In this case the 

 limb should be enclosed in a strong pitch plaster, laid on in a succession of 

 layers from below the hock as high as the stifle. 



Further support may be given to the broken fragments by strips of 

 thick cardboard let into the plaster over the region of the fracture. With 

 this should be conjoined the support of slings and perfect rest. 



Fracture of the Bones of the Hock. — This is an accident of 



exceptionally rare occurrence, and mostly concerns the calcaneum {os 

 calcis) or bone forming the point of the hock. Occupying a prominent 

 position, and standing exposed to external violence, it is remarkable that 

 it so seldom suffers fracture. 



