400 



TREATMENT OF TORTICOLLIS. 



on sprains of the muscles or disease of the spinal column. 

 The neck may usually be kept straight by a girth, cradle, or narrow 

 piece of wood, fastened with the roller and a strong halter to the 

 concave side of the neck ; sometimes by simply fastening up the head. 

 Where luxation is present, replacement must be attempted. 

 In heavy horses counter extension may be effected by the weight 

 of the body. Where this is impracticable, the animal may be fixed 

 with the help of a horse collar, while, with a strong, well-fitting 

 halter, extension may be effected by several strong assistants, or 

 by the help of a compound pulley. Godine states having thus pro- 

 duced an extension of 3£ inches in the neck of a horse. Immelmann 

 passed a strong hop sack, doubled, round the head of the horse, 

 and allowed fifteen persons to pull on it. During extension, the 



Fig. 341. — Knudsen's iron splint for distortion of the neck. 



operator endeavours to effect reduction by pressing or turning the 

 neck at the middle of the convexity. This attempt generally succeeds, 

 the distortion immediately disappearing. Busse laid his patient 

 on the ground, with the concavity of the neck downwards, placed 

 a board on the convex side, and exerted strong pressure on it. The 

 displacement, even when reduced, may recur on the horse rising. 

 In such cases fracture of the oblique process usually exists, and the 

 application of a bandage is necessary. Hertwig recommended two 

 splints of wood or tin, which fitted exactly the side of the neck and 

 reached from the shoulder to the posterior border of the lower jaw, 

 and were fastened together at the upper and lower ends of the neck 

 by bands. Stockfleth recommends an iron splint (Fig. 341) constructed 

 by Knudsen. Owing to its yielding nature, it is easily fitted. The 

 splint, when applied to the convex side of the neck, must be padded 

 with tow or wadding to prevent bruising. The horse is supported 

 on rising, and afterwards fastened up short to the wall. The use 



