266 FRACTURE OF THE HYOID BONE. 



FRACTURE OP THE HYOID BONE. 



On account of its sheltered position, fractures of the hyoid bone 

 are rare, but have nevertheless been observed. In horses and cattle 

 they are produced by thrusts with the horns, and blows with the 

 feet, or even by violent traction on the tongue. In dogs they result 

 from the animal being roughly seized by the throat, as is sometimes 

 done by the police in securing stray animals. 



The Symptoms comprise salivation, prolapse of the tongue, 

 difficulty in eating and especially in swallowing, accumulation of 

 food in the mouth and swelling in the throat. In complicated 

 fractures there may also be bleeding from the mouth, possibly of a 

 severe character. " Crepitation on moving the tongue can seldom 

 be detected. 



Union of submucous fractures is usually complete in four weeks. 

 But it not infrequently happens that fragments of bone perforate 

 the mucous membrane. Intense inflammatory swelling then develops, 

 which may quickly prove fatal (Herraud) ; or mastication and 

 swallowing may be interfered with, and death occur from inanition, 

 or the patients may require to be slaughtered. Fatal bleeding some- 

 times results from splinters of bone injuring neighbouring blood- 

 vessels. Rupprecht relates that the broken hyoid of a horse per- 

 forated the guttural pouch and caused death by lacerating a large 

 vessel. Asphyxia caused by such bleeding occurring into the larynx 

 and trachea is spoken of by Bolle. But even cases complicated by 

 exfoliation of large pieces of the hyoid may recover in from six to 

 eight weeks, as Schade's experience shows. 



Treatment in simple fracture is confined to supplying suitable 

 food which must be easily digestible and require little mastication. 

 At the commencement, water may be given per rectum, especially 

 if deglutition is difficult, and soluble nourishment may be administered 

 in the same way. In complicated cases the wound must be frequently 

 cleaned. Should the skin be wounded by perforating fragments (an 

 exceptional occurrence), ordinary antiseptic treatment must be 

 adopted, and loose pieces of bone removed. 



NEW GROWTHS IN THE TONGUE. 



Whilst carcinoma of the tongue is common in man it is com- 

 paratively rare in domesticated animals, but the following growths 

 have been observed : 



In young dogs, calves, and horses, numerous papillomata are not 

 uncommon. They vary in size from a pin's head to a walnut, and 



