lameness: its causes and treatment. 337 



FRACTURES OF THE LOWER JAW. 



A fracture here is not an injury of infieciuent occurrence. It 

 involves the body of the bone, at its symphysis, or back of it, and 

 inchides one or both of its branches, either more or less forward, 

 »»r at the posterior part near the temporomaxillary articidation, at 

 (lie eoronoid process. 



Falls, blows, or other external violence, or powerful muscular con- 

 tact ions durin^r the ust» of the speculum, may be mentioned among 

 (he causes of tins lesion. The fracture of the neck, or that jxjrtion 

 formed by the juncture of the two opposite sides, and of the branches 

 in front of the cheek.^;, causes the lower jaw, the true dental arch, to 

 (hop, without the ability to raise it again to the upper, and the 

 result is a peculiar and characteristic physiognomy. The prehension 

 5:nd mastication of feed become impossible; there is an abundant 

 ( scape of fetid and sometimes bloody Siiliva, especially if the gums 

 have been wounded; there is excessive mobility of the lower end of 

 the jawbone; and there is crepitation, and frequently paralysis of 

 the under lip. Altliough an animal suffering with a complete and 

 <'ften compound and comminuted fracture of the submaxilla pre- 

 M'nts at times a serious aspect, the prognosis of the case is com- 

 ]>aratively favorable, and recovery is usually only a question of time. 

 The severity of the lesion corresponds in degree to that of the vio- 

 lence to which it is due, also to the resulting complications and the 

 situation of the wound. Tt is simple when at the symphysis, but 

 l>econies more serious when it affects one of the branches, and most 

 aggravated when both are involved. Fracture of the eoronoid proc- 

 ess becomes important princii>ally as an evidence of the existence of 

 a morbid diathesis, such as osteoporosis, or the like. 



The pai-ticular seat of the injury, with its special features, will, 

 of course, determine the treatment. For a simjile fracture, without 

 displacement, provided there is no laceration of the periost^Mun, an 

 ordinary supporting bandage will usually be sufticient, but when 

 there is displacement the reduction of the fracture must first be 

 arromi)lished, and for this sjH'cial splints are neeessarv. In a fracture 

 of the symphysis or of the branches tiie adjustment of the fragments 

 by securing them with metallic sutures is the fii*st step necessary, to 

 be followed by the application of supports, consisting of s]>lints of 

 leather or sheets of metal, the entire front of the head being then 

 (overed with bandages j^repared with adhesive mixtures. During 

 the entire course of treatment a special method of feeding Ix^comes 

 necessary. The inability of the patient to ajipreciate the situation, 

 of course, necessitates a resort to an artificial mode of introducing the 

 necessary feed into his stomach; this is accomplished by forcing 

 l)etween the commissures of the lips, in a licpiid form, by means of a 



36444°— 16 22 



