FRACTURE OF THE FEMUR. 927 



no fractures seem to have been reported in consequence. On the 

 other hand, Moller considers that tying the limb to the fore-arm or 

 fastening it to the ring of a surcingle is dangerous. Fracture is 

 favoured by absolutely fixing the hind limb in a position of flexion, 

 on account of the great strength of the extensor muscles of the quarter. 

 The less the resistance to their contraction, the less likely is fracture 

 of the femur to occur,, Lichte described fracture of the femur in a 

 horse affected with lateral luxation of the patella. 



Fracture of the neck of the femur, though occasionally seen, is 

 much rarer in animals than in men, because in animals the neck 

 is less well marked. Schrader reports a case ; the articular head 

 had again become adherent to the femur opposite the lower trochanter. 

 Kitt discovered post-mortem a fracture of the neck of the femur 

 and the formation of a false joint ; the horse had nevertheless worked 

 at a walking pace. Colin saw fracture of the neck and luxation of 

 the femur in a horse. Fracture of the articular head itself is 

 commoner ; Dieterichs even saw a horse with double-sided fracture 

 of the head of the femur. Fractures of the trochanters are rare, 

 though Moller once saw the lower trochanter fractured by a fall on 

 rough ground. Fractures of the lower articular processes, some- 

 times intra-capsular, are also infrequent, though they have been 

 reported. In dogs the shaft is oftenest broken, usually near the 

 lower end. Comminuted fractures may occur. Greve found a 

 horse's femur broken into eighty -five pieces. In a race-horse the 

 upper portion of the shaft of the femur was found to be broken into 

 many pieces. Fissure of the femur in the horse has been produced 

 by a kick. Fiedler saw a foal with separation of the upper epiphysis 

 from the diaphysis and luxation of the femur. 



The symptoms of fracture, of either the shaft, head or neck of 

 the femur, are generally well marked. The animal is very lame 

 both when placing weight on the limb and when advancing it, the 

 limb itself is easily moved, especially in an outward direction 

 (abduction), and crepitation usually exists, though if the fractured 

 portion be much displaced, crepitation may be wanting. As a rule, 

 the " slouching " movement of the entire limb may be remarked, 

 even from a distance, and the only difficulty is to say whether the 

 fracture is in the femur or in the tibia. 



The diagnosis of fracture of the upper end of the femur is some- 

 times difficult, because of the lower portion of the bone becoming 

 inserted into the articular cup and thus supporting the weight of 

 the body ; in such cases, however, the limb is, as a rule, visibly 

 shortened. 



