174 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



CHAPTER X. 



Diseases of the Osseous Structures {continued). 



FRACTURES. 



Definition. — A fracture consists of a solution of conti- 

 nuity in a hard structure ; in surgery it is generally under- 

 stood to refer to a solution of continuity of bone. Fractures 

 are more or less common among the lower animals, but 

 probably occur with greater frequency amongst dogs. There 

 are several varieties of fracture, as follows : 



Simijle fracture is that form of fracture in which the bone 

 is broken in a clean manner, and straight or nearly straight 

 across. 



Compound fracture is where the broken ends of the bone 

 separate, pierce the soft tissues, injure the skin, etc. 



Comminuted fracture is wdiere the bone is broken in several 

 pieces or shattered. 



Compound comminuted fracture is a combination of the two 

 forms of fracture described above ; in this form of fracture 

 the bone is shattered and has also entered the soft tissues, 

 lacerating them to a greater or less extent. Besides 

 the above, fractures are described as 'complicated' when 

 important bloodvessels, nerves, or an articulation is in- 

 volved ; an ' oblique fracture ' is so called on account of the 

 break extending obliquely across the bone ; there may also 

 be fracture without displacement, as sometimes happens 

 when the tibia of a horse is fractured, and held in 

 place by the periosteum for days or weeks, without dis- 

 placement occurring, and in some cases the horse may do 

 light and slow work even, the fractured ends of the 

 bone meanwhile being held in apposition until complete 

 reunion takes place. Fractures occur in various ways, 

 and sometimes very simply, occasionally a very slight slip 



