300 FRACTURE OF THE NASAL BONES. 



generally take the form of torn wounds, they heal steadily and quickly 

 owing to the abundant connective tissue in their neighbourhood. 

 But immediately the cartilaginous portions of the nose are injured, 

 healing becomes difficult. Infection of the cartilage is apt to occur, 

 causing chronic inflammation, thickening, or even fistula formation. 

 In this way stenosis of the nostrils may be produced and the breathing 

 affected. 



Treatment of fresh wounds, especially of the nasal cartilage, 

 should aim at healing by first intention. The parts must be cleansed, 

 the edges of the wounds freshened and disinfected, and brought 

 together with pin sutures, so as to lie firmly in apposition. The 

 wound should then be painted with collodion or wound gelatine, 

 and the horse put on the pillar reins to prevent its rubbing out the 

 stitches. In working-horses small flaps of skin may simply be cut 

 off. Healing is usually so perfect that neither the area of the nostril, 

 and consequently the breathing, nor even the horse's appearance 

 suffers. Necrosis of the nasal cartilage is serious and may continue 

 for months. The fistula should be laid open and the parts frequently 

 dressed with disinfectants, if necessary with chloride of zinc or 

 nitrate of silver or even touched with the actual cautery. In chronic 

 cases curetting, or excision of the necrosed cartilage is indicated. 



(B) FRACTURE OF THE NASAL BONES. 



In horses these fractures generally result from the animal running 

 away, and the nose being brought in collision with some hard object. 

 Falls, kicks, or powerful blows also produce them. Horses suffering 

 from brain disease occasionally fracture the nasal bones by striking 

 the head against a wall. In other animals the accident is rarer. 

 In dogs it is sometimes due to a blow with a stick. The fracture may 

 be single or double-sided, longitudinal or transverse, subcutaneous 

 or compound. Fragments of bone may perforate either the skin 

 or mucous membrane, and thus produce a compound fracture. 



Diagnosis is not difficult. There is usually deformity of the nose 

 and the neighbouring parts, bleeding from the nostrils, and sometimes 

 difficulty in breathing, produced by narrowing of the nostril or 

 accumulation of blood. Injuries to the lachrymal duct are indicated 

 by obstruction, the appearance of blood-stained tears or of ecchymoses 

 in the inner canthus of the eye. Tearing of the schneiderian mem- 

 brane may be followed by profuse haemorrhage and emphysema 

 about the face. Diagnosis only becomes difficult where much swelling 

 exists. 



