442 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



blows is not transmitted to the injured bones. The patient should 

 have a roomy stall and should be tied by the head to prevent any at- 

 tempts to move around. In some cases slings have been used. Ordi- 

 narily, however, they are not satisfactory in cattle practice, and if ap- 

 plied should only be for a few days at a time and with a view to lessen 

 the animal's disposition to lie down, rather than to prevent it. When 

 they are used continuously, the pressure on the abdomen is likely to 

 interfere with digestion and the general health of the animal. 



Modes of Union. The animal should be kept as quiet as possi- 

 ble and given such food as will have a tendency to keep the bowels 

 slightly relaxed. The success of the operation will depend chiefly on 

 the skill of the operator, but not alone in the selection and use of the 

 appliances ; for as much attention must be given to subsequent man- 

 agement. The patients are unreasonable, and a single awkward mo- 

 tion may undo the work of weeks so far as the union of the parts of 

 the bone is concerned. Union takes place after the same process, 

 and, if the conditions are favorable, with greater rapidity than in the 

 human being. The injury that caused the fracture is almost sure to 

 have extended to some of the adjacent tissues, and, even though the 

 fracture may be of the simplest type, there is almost sure to be con- 

 siderable hemorrhage around the ends of the broken bone. This, 

 however, is unimportant if the skin remains intact, unless a very 

 large vessel should be injured, or the fracture should open some of 

 the important cavities of the body, in which case a fatal hemorrhage 

 might result. If, on the other hand, the fracture be a compound 

 one, the external opening furnishes a fertile field for the lodgment of 

 disease-producing germs. 



Unless great care is exercised in such cases a suppurative pro- 

 cess is likely to be established which will seriously interfere with, if 

 not entirely arrest, the process of union between the bones ; or it may 

 become so serious as to endanger the general health of the animal 

 and even be attended with fatal results. This last danger is greater 

 where the injury has occurred to the bones of the arm or thigh. In 

 such cases, owing to the dense covering of fascia which ensheathes 

 the muscular covering, pus is likely to be imprisoned, and, burrow- 

 ing downward, saturate the whole structure, not only endangering 

 the limb, but, by absorption, may set up blood poisoning and seri- 

 ously interfere with the general health of the patient, even to causing 

 death. In order. so far as possible to prevent such an unfortunate 

 complication, the wound should be carefully cleansed with a mild 

 solution of carbolic acid, then dusted over with iodoform before the 

 bandages are applied, and cleansed and dressed daily in the same 

 way. After dressing always cover with absorbent cotton. In the 

 early process of union an exudation of lymph takes place, which is 

 at first fluid, gradually becoming thicker and firmer till it forms a 

 callus in the shape of a ring or ferrule surrounding the detached por- 

 tions of the bone, known as the external or ensheatning callus. It oc- 

 casionally happens that this callus only forms at the ends of the 

 bones, filling the spaces that exist between them, when it is known as 

 the intermediate callus. The process of union may be divided into 



