194 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



Frontal Bone. — Fracture of the internal plate of the 

 frontal bone is caused in the same manner as the fracture 

 previously described. 



Sijmptoms. — The animal on receiving the injury may fall, 

 and remain down for a few minutes, then get up and appear 

 to be all right, and in two or three days afterwards show 

 certain cerebral symptoms. In a case of this kind the 

 prognosis should be unfavourable. It can only be treated 

 by keeping the patient quiet, and if any portion of bone be 

 considerably depressed, it should be raised to its proper 

 position. The food should be of a cooling nature, cold 

 applications should be made to the seat of the injury, 

 and a cure may be effected. It is said that tetanus 

 is apt to supervene on fracture of the orbital process, 

 but I have never noticed anything of the kind in my 

 experience. 



In fractures uniting by what is known as false joint (that 

 is, by means of a fibro-cartilaginous deposit between the 

 fractured ends of the bone, instead of an osseous deposit), 

 and more particularly in false joint occurring in the dog, a 

 seton needle should be passed into the false joint, setting up 

 inflammation and causing new bony material to be thrown 

 out ; or it may be cut into, and a j)ortion of the fibrous 

 cartilage uniting the divided ends of the bone may be cut 

 away, as a result of which inflammatory action will be set up, 

 and osseous material thrown out, when an osseous, instead 

 of cartilaginous, union takes place. It is often done in 

 human practice. 



Parietal Bones. — Fracture of the parietal bones occasion- 

 ally occurs, and death results. Whenever the practitioner 

 has reason to believe that a bone is pressing upon the brain, 

 he should cut down, trephine, and remove it if necessary ; 

 but as a rule the operation is not attended with as much 

 success in veterinary practice as it is in human practice. 



