130 STARCH, GLUE, PITCH AND OTHER BANDAGES. 



bandages can be employed ; these perhaps fit better and are pre- 

 ferable. After thus filling up all irregularities of contour and bringing 

 the dressing to a level surface, the permanent bandage, impregnated 

 with some hardening material, is applied. 



A common error is to apply the dressing to the fractured point 

 alone. It is, however, absolutely necessary to extend it upwards 

 beyond the next joint and downwards as far as the hoof or claw. 

 Any weight thrown on the limb is thus transferred to the bandage, 

 which acts somewhat like a cylindrical crutch, the broken bone being 

 relieved of pressure and preserved from any movement likely to 

 prevent union. 



In applying starch handages the parts are padded as described, 

 and cardboard splints, rendered pliable by immersion in hot water, 

 are applied. These are fixed in position with bandages completely 

 saturated with starch. Some operators prefer to omit the cardboard 

 splints. The gravest disadvantage, however, of this dressing consists 

 in the fact that it requires twenty-four hours to become thoroughly 

 hard. Starch may advantageously be replaced by ordinary glue, 

 prepared as for carpenters' use. Dextrin bandages are applied like 

 starch bandages but are somewhat dearer. The hardening mixture 

 is usually composed of : Dextrin 100 parts, spirit of camphor 60 

 parts, water 500 parts. 



Glue bandages are sometimes used, but harden rather slowly. 

 Bandages or strips of linen are smeared on one side with melted glue, 

 dried, and rolled up with the dressed side outwards ; they are 

 immersed in hot water just before application. Another method 

 consists in thoroughly saturating ordinary bandages in hot thin glue 

 immediately before use. 



Pitch bandages are prepared by drawing long strips of linen 

 through fluid pitch and hanging them up to cool. In use compara- 

 tively short lengths are applied at one time as each must be softened 

 and made adhesive by warming. They are extremely unpleasant 

 to handle. 



Water glass is utilised for permanent dressings by painting an 

 ordinary bandage with a solution of water glass as each turn is 

 applied, or a very loosely rolled bandage may be saturated with the 

 fluid before use. This dressing hardens more quickly than starch, 

 but not so rapidly as plaster or tripolith. It is, however, lighter 

 and more elastic than plaster. Water glass solution, when mixed 

 with chalk, magnesite, Portland cement, etc., produces a stronger 

 dressing, which also hardens more rapidly. 



The most generally useful, however, are plaster and tripolith 



