S6 FRACTURES AKD DISEASES OF BONES. 



recovery will gradually become complete. Some practitioners 

 fire their patients for the removal of such lameness ; such prac- 

 tice cannot be too highly condemned. It is useless, nay, mis- 

 chievous and cruel. I wonder what would be said of a surgeon 

 who fired for a broken leg ! The thing is absurd. 



COMPOUND FRACTURES. 



By this term is meant a fracture having communication with 

 the external air by means of a wound, which is produced at 

 once by the same cause as that which gave rise to the fracture : 

 or afterwards by one or more fragments being forced through the 

 skin, or at a more remote period by sloughing and ulceration of 

 the surrounding soft parts. This wound makes a most important 

 difference in respect of the danger and difficulty of cure. There 

 is apt to arise from this source violent inflammation and fever, 

 terminating in profuse suppuration or gangrene. The object in 

 treating such is to obtain immediate union of the wound, and 

 thus convert a compound fracture into a simple one. There 

 are many cases on record of a successful issue being obtained 

 from the treatment of compound fracture in the horse ; but in 

 the majority of cases the terminations ar^ very unfavourable. 

 If the bone projects through the wound, and cannot be returned, 

 unless in the case of a valuable stud animal, the patient had 

 better be destroyed ; but if treatment be determined upon, the 

 first consideration is the reduction of the fracture ; this may be 

 done by extension and counter-extension, aided by proper mani- 

 pulation. If the fracture be transverse, these means will be 

 successful; but if it be oblique, it may become advisable to 

 enlarge the wound, to admit of the replacement of the frag- 

 ments. In some cases, replacement cannot be effected without 

 removing the sharp ends of the protruding bone wdth a saw or 

 bone forceps. When the fracture is reduced, the edges of the 

 wound should be carefuUy brought together, and kept in close 

 approximation by means of plaster, styptic colloid, or other 

 adhesive substance. 



After the use of these means, every endeavour should be 

 made to moderate inflammatory action, prevent suppuration, by 

 carbolic acid, or other antiseptic dressing to the wound, and 

 to lessen febrile disturbance. In our patients means must be 



