FRACTURES. 181 



a certain extent. Examination per rectum, and moving the 

 animal is the way to diagnose it. If the animal be one of 

 little value the owner should be advised to destroy it. If 

 the animal be a valuable one treatment may be tried. 



Treatment. — Treatment of this fracture is rather trouble- 

 some. The patient must be kept very quiet, and the hind 

 limbs are to be drawn together and secured by means of a 

 strap or a soft cloth passed around the hocks. Any con- 

 stitutional symptoms that may arise are to be combated 

 in the usual way; nothing else can be done except, to 

 exercise patience and give the animal time in which to 

 recover. 



Fracture of the tuberosity of the ischium is caused by 

 blows, kicks, falls, and occasionally it may be caused by 

 muscular contraction. 



Sywjytoms. — The animal shows difficulty in progression, 

 there may be considerable swelling, etc. Recovery generally 

 takes place in due course ; in some cases caries or necrosis 

 takes place, and treatment for those conditions will have to 

 be adopted. In examining a horse as to soundness, this 

 condition should not be overlooked. It is best noticed by 

 standing on one side of the animal. However, it does not 

 as a rule injure the usefulness of a horse, and more especially 

 if he is to be used for farm or other slow work. 



Acetabulum.— When fracture of the acetabulum occurs, 

 the case is generally a hopeless one, and time expended in 

 treating it is wasted. It is caused by muscular contraction, 

 falls, kicks, blows, etc. In most cases the limb can scarcely 

 be moved at all, the foot rests upon the toe, or is not placed 

 to the ground at all, the limb is shorter than its fellow, 

 owing to its having slipped out of place and being drawn 

 upwards by muscular contraction, the pulse is quickened, 

 great pain is manifested by the patient, and, on moving the 

 limb, crepitus in a well-marked degree is found to be 



