870 FRACTURES OF THE OS CORONiE AND OS PEDIS. 



to place weight on the toot, when the lameness is of sudden onset 

 and attended with marked volar flexion, and when, at the same time, 

 there is no acute inflammation of the flexor apparatus or other disease 

 in the foot. Increased pulsation in the arteries does not occur until 

 twenty-four hours after fracture. Wiistefeld found the superficial 

 veins of the foot greatly swollen. Examination with farriers' pincers 

 generally, though not invariably, causes pain. Slesarewsky saw 

 fracture of the os pedis in consequence of a large portion of the hoof 

 being torn away by the foot catching in some obstacle. Several 

 pieces of bone were pulled off with the horn, but recovery followed 

 the use of carbolic dressings. 



Prognosis is favourable in fissures of the os suffraginis, from which 

 many animals, recover their usefulness if rested for six to eight weeks, 

 provided laminitis does not attack the other foot during treatment. 

 Exception, however, must be made for fractures extending to the 

 articular surfaces, as these are generally followed by chronic lame- 

 ness, though cases of complete fracture of the suffraginis have been 

 known to recover without leaving a trace of lameness. Popow 

 describes five cases of fracture of the os suffraginis which recovered 

 under the use of the plaster bandage, though in two cases the fetlock- 

 joint became anchylosed. In two cases the coronet-joint was affected, 

 and in one both joints. In the case described by Haider, the animal 

 could be put to light field-work after a month's rest, though slight 

 lameness and thickening of the os suffraginis remained. Both 

 Kretowicz and Wilhelm saw transverse fractures of the os suffraginis 

 of hind feet unite completely in a few months. T. A. Dollar success- 

 fully set the fractured near fore pastern of " Sceptic " when the 

 animal was six months old. The bone was broken into four or five 

 fragments, and there was considerable displacement. " Sceptic " 

 afterwards won thirteen races, many of importance. Foals and 

 yearlings are much more hopeful subjects than full-grown animals, 

 and even though a large callus forms and lameness persists for a time, 

 the animal may eventually be rendered useful by neurectomy. 

 As a rule, it is only worth while treating complete fractures when the 

 horses are young, are valuable for breeding, or can be kept for a 

 small sum. Compound fractures are generally incurable, though 

 a few have been successfully treated by antiseptic methods. 



Fractures of the os coronse are still less favourable, recovery being 

 incomplete, and lameness remaining even where the fracture is a 

 simple one. As a rule, the bone becomes greatly enlarged, and 

 excessive volar flexion, particularly of the fetlock-joint, sets in, 

 and is followed by permanent lameness. 



