S7l> FRACTURES OF THE SESAMOID BONES. 



prefer pine sawdusl to straw as a bedding in these cases. It is clean, 

 gives a secure foothold, does not entangle the legs like straw, and 

 when fresh is slightly antiseptic. 



Sinking of the fetlock, and laminitis with displacement of the 

 pedal bone may be recognised by deformity of the fetlock and by 

 pain and increased pulsation in the plantar arteries. Immediately 

 these symptoms are seen the patient should be removed from the 

 slings, provided with a soft bed and allowed to lie down. 



III.— FRACTURES OF THE SESAMOID BONES. 



These fractures have repeatedly been seen in horses. Williams 

 found the sesamoid bones broken in several pieces after galloping 

 in deep sand. Howell saw one of the sesamoid bones broken into 

 five portions under similar circumstances. Transverse fracture 

 has also been seen. As it is produced by the pull of the upper and 

 lower sesamoidean ligaments, this method of fracture appears very 

 natural. Rutherford saw a horse which after making a few bounds 

 went very lame ; the sesamoid bones of all four feet were afterwards 

 found transversely fractured. Moller has several times seen 

 fracture of the sesamoid bones accompanied by tearing of the 

 suspensory ligament. Partial rapture of the suspensory ligament. 

 with fracture of larger or smaller portions of the sesamoid bones, 

 is seen in race-horses. Cadiot is of opinion that the sesamoid bones 

 of the fore limb may be fractured by a direct blow from the toe of 

 the hind foot. Such an accident seems possible, but Cadiot's sug- 

 gestion would not explain bilateral fracture, still less fracture in hind 

 limbs. 



Moller witnessed fracture of both sesamoid hones and partial rupture 

 of the suspensory and inferior sesamoidean ligaments in a working-horse 

 which had been kept in the stable for some weeks on account of lameness. 

 Schoneck describes a similar ease in a Russian trotting-horse. A cart- 

 horse, which had been rested for a long time on account of disease of the 

 tendons, suddenly fell in the street the first time of going to work, and 

 could not he got up. On post-mortem, the sesamoid hones of both fore 

 limbs were found horizontally fractured, and in each of the hind feet the 

 flexor pedis perforans tendon was torn away from its point of insertion 

 into the os pedis. 



Continued rest appeals to cause change both in bones and tendons ; the 

 view that such accidents are solely caused by the animal capering about is 

 scarcely defensible. 



The symptoms are generally pronounced. In horizontal fractures 

 the fragments are drawn apart and the fetlock-joint sinks a little 



