FRACTURES OF THE FACIAL BOXES. 99 



otherwise, an endeavour must be made to readjust the bones in 

 their proper position. Professor Varnell recommends that " a 

 piece of wood should be prepared, about one and a half inches 

 wide, about half an inch thick, and of sufficient length for the 

 purpose. This piece of wood should have its angles rounded 

 off, and that part of it which is required to be passed up the 

 nasal passage should be covered with a piece of thin wash-leather, 

 to prevent the possibility of any splinter injuring the mucous 

 membrane. The operator being thus provided, and the horse 

 favourably placed and secured, this rude instrument is to be 

 passed up the nostril of the side affected, as far as a little 

 beyond the seat of the fracture, when as much force as may be 

 necessary, or deemed prudent, should be used to raise the de- 

 pressed fragments of bone. If the fracture is compound, 

 and any portion of the bone projects through the skin (which 

 is not very likely to be the case), it must be dealt with as 

 recommended in compound fracture of the lower jaw; or if it is 

 comminuted, and a fragment is found to be wholly detached, it 

 should be removed with the forceps. 



" The segments of the fractured bone having been adjusted 

 as nearly as possible in their proper position, means should be 

 devised to retain them there. For this purpose two modes 

 suggest themselves. The first is as follows: — To clear the skin 

 as much as possible from dirt and other extraneous matter, 

 and when it is thoroughly dry, to place some straps of strcm^g 

 adhesive plaster across the fractured bones. These should be 

 carried a little beyond their outer boundaries, and in such direc- 

 tion as may be thought best. 



" These straps, if well applied, will be found to answer a very 

 good purpose, especially when the bone is much splintered or 

 the skin penetrated, as in compound fracture. In the latter 

 they will close the opening, and thus to some extent reduce 

 it to a simple one ; they wiU also materially support the broken 

 bone, and thus prevent any portion of it from falling into the 

 nasal passage or the nasal sinus. 



" The other mode of keeping the fractured bone in its proper 

 position, which may be used with or without the former, and 

 which also tends to arrest haemorrhage, should it exist to any 

 extent, is to plug the nasal passage with fine tow or cotton wool. 

 This may be done in the following way with perfect safety : — 



