92 THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



assisted by the application of a charge along the lower border of 

 the ramus. If such a fracture be comminuted, care must be taken 

 in removing the loose pieces not to injure the structures issuing 

 from the mental foramen. 



Various kinds of apparatus have been designed for the treatment 

 of fractured rami. Binz uses "a piece of wood, the shape of the 

 inter-maxillary space, covered with cloth, and furnished with straps to 

 suspend it behind the ear, and attach it round the forehead and face." 



Walker designed a cradle " composed of two lateral portions fitting 

 to the sides of the face, suspended from behind the ears by a padded 

 strap, and kept in position by a brow-band, throat-strap, and jaw-straps, 

 with a central portion of wood padded with leather to fit between the 

 branches of the jaw, and two flanges to rest on the first molar on each 

 side of it." For this cradle a considerable amount of success is 

 claimed. 



Solid food should be withheld, liquids only be given, and assistance 

 in maintaining the condition of the animal may be derived from the 

 frequent injection of nutritive enemata. 



The Cervical Vertebra. — This series consists of seven bones. The 

 last five approach most nearly the description of what is generally 

 accepted as a typical vertebra, than do those of any other series. They 

 are characterised by their long centra, the anterior extremity of which 

 is markedly convex, and the posterior extremity correspondingly concave. 

 Their superior and inferior spinous processes are poorly developed, 

 excepting in the case of the seventh, which has a very prominent 

 neural spine. Their oblique processes are large and present extensive 

 articular areas for articulation with the processes of the bone with which 

 they come into apposition. Their transverse processes are small, but 

 they project out prominently and terminate abruptly, and excepting 

 in the case of the seventh vertebra each is pierced by a vetebral 

 foramen. Large intervertebral foramina are formed by the notches in 

 the contiguous arches for the passage ot the spinal nerves. 



