924 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



moved. But when the bones are not displaced, it is difficult 

 to determine the trouble. It now becomes necessary to notice 

 the animal's action, and ascertain whether he became lame very 

 suddenly, and also whether any injury, slip, or fall was sus- 

 tained about the time the lameness occurred. 



TREATMENT OF A SIMPLE FRACTURE. Space only permits some 

 general principles of treatment here. Compound fractures above 

 the knee or hock-joint can not often be successfully treated, in 

 the larger animals; but when below the knee or hock, success 

 may crown an effort. Always get the ends of the bones in 

 place as soon as possible, and keep them in place, by means of 

 a starch, plaster-of-paris, or tripiloth bandage, or by means of 

 leather or light splints. There is also a kind of felt bandage, 

 or splint, now prepared, which is excellent. 



In preparing a bandage, take narrow strips of muslin about 

 three yards long, and if starch is selected, have it properly pre- 

 pared by boiling it until it is about as thick as very thick 

 cream; or, if plaster-of-paris, or tripiloth, is selected, have it 

 mixed with cold water until it is about as thick as thick 

 cream. Either of the last should be mixed in small quantities at 

 a time, in any old vessel. Mix the strips of muslin through 

 this until every part of them is thoroughly saturated with the 

 mixture ; then begin at one end of a strip and roll it up nicely, 

 making a convenient roll for handling. 



When every thing is thus prepared, and the fracture prop- 

 erly placed, wrap the leg with a thin layer of cotton-batting 

 and then bandage the leg loosely with flannel, and apply the 

 flannel bandage to the leg from the foot just as high as pos- 

 sible. Then level all hollows on the leg with cotton-batting, 

 and if a starch bandage is used, all that is necessary is to thor- 

 oughly and tightly wrap the broken part with the starched 

 cloth, never allowing it to extend beyond the flannel bandage. 

 The bandage should be applied in several successive layers, ap- 

 plied in different directions, and the leg kept as still as possible 

 until the starch becomes hard. 



The same directions should be followed in using either plas- 

 ter-of-paris or tripiloth, with the additional directions that, 



