DISEASES OF CATTLE 441 



gle layer of the dry bandage, letting it extend both above and below 

 the part to which the plaster of Paris bandage is to be applied and in- 

 cluding under the folds of the dry bandage at each end a layer of 

 absorbent cotton, which is intended to form a pad to prevent the ends 

 of the plaster of Paris bandage from chafing the skin beneath. When 

 this is done one of the plaster of Paris bandages should be placed in 

 a vessel of water and allowed to remain till the air bubbles have 

 ceased to rise from it, which will generally indicate that it is soaked 

 through. Then, taking it in the hand, wind it carefully around and 

 around the limb, unrolling the bandage as it is wound around the 

 limb, occasionally smoothing down the plaster of Paris. Should it 

 form roughly or in ridges, the hand may be dipped in water to im- 

 part increased moisture to it. When about finished with one ban- 

 dage, place another in the water, so that the winding operation may 

 be continued without delay. The bandages should be applied till 

 the cast is from one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick, then gen- 

 tly restrain the animal for one-half or three-quarters of an hour till 

 the plaster is hardened. Any of the appliances used should be so 

 manipulated as to prevent absolutely any motion of the detached 

 parts. If the fracture is near a joint, it is generally best to include 

 the joint in the appliance. The part of the limb below the bandage 

 should be carefully and firmly wrapped with an ordinary cotton ban- 

 dage all the way from the plaster bandage down to the hoof. This 

 last bandage will tend to prevent swelling, which is likely to occur, 

 the result of the dependent position in which the animal is forced by 

 nature to keep the injured limb. 



When plaster of Paris bandages are applied to a compound frac- 

 ture, the injured part may be previously dressed with a small, thick 

 pad of cotton immediately over the wound. In applying the bandage 

 the operator may with a little care so arrange it as to keep the folds 

 of the bandages off the cotton, or have only a thin layer over it, 

 which may be easily cut out and the cotton removed, leaving a con- 

 venient opening through which to dress the wound without removing 

 the bandage. The ends of the bandage or other appliance should be 

 carefully watched to see that the skin does not become chafed, par- 

 ticularly at the lower end. If the bandage should become weak or 

 broken at any part, it may be strengthened without removal by ap- 

 plying other bandages immediately over it. If swelling has taken 

 place before the bandage has been applied, there is likely to be some 

 loosening as it disappears, and even without the swelling there is 

 likely to be a tendency of the bandage to slide downward. This may 

 be overcome by fastening it to a suspender attached to a surcingle or 

 passed over the body and attached to the opposite leg. If the loose- 

 ness can not be overcome in this way, the space may be filled by 

 pouring in a thin paste of plaster of Paris. A better method, how- 

 ever, is to remove the bandage and apply another. Owing to the hard- 

 ness of the bandage it will be removed with some difficulty. A deep 

 groove should be cut down completely through it on the opposite 

 sides. This may be done with a chisel and a small hammer, if the 

 bandage is carefully held by an assistant so that the concussion of the 



