FRACTURES. 



257 



'^'^^'^^iJSli.i^ 



Fig. 28-,' 



Longifudinal Fractures of 



the 09 Suffraginis. 



Fig. 5i83. 



Comminuted Fracture of the 



Oa Suffraginis. 



violent effort, or of a sudden misstep or twisting of the leg, and 

 may be transverse, or, as has usually been the case in our experi- 

 ence, longitudinal (Fig. 282), extending from the upper articular 

 surface down to the centre of the bone and generally obHque and 

 often comminuted (Fig. 283). The symptoms are the swelling 

 and tenderness of the region, possibly crepitation ; a certain ab- 

 normal mobility; an excessive degree of lameness, and in some 

 instances a dropping back of the fetlock, with perhaps a straight- 

 ened or upright condition of the pastern. 



The difficulty of reduction and coaptation in this accident, and 

 the probability of bony deposits, as of ringbones, resulting in 

 lameness, are circumstances which tend to discourage a favorable 

 prognosis. 



The treatment is that which has been recommended for all 

 fractures, as far as it can be applied. The iron splint of figure 

 281 gives excellent residts in many instances, but if the fracture is 

 incomplete and without displacement a form of treatment less 

 energetic and severe shoiild be attempted. One case is within 

 our knowledge in which the owner of an injured horse lost his 

 property by his refusal to subject the animal to treatment, the 

 post mortem revealing only a simple fracture with very slight dis- 

 placement. 



