130 PAKTICULAK FRACTURES. 



The patient is now to be placed in slings ; in about two months 

 consolidation may be expected ; the horse may now be placed 

 in a loose box or sent to grass. I have seen very good re- 

 coveries from this accident ; but if the bone be in a diseased 

 condition, mollities or fragilitus ossium, treatment will be of no 

 avail. 



The tarsal bones are all liable to be fractured by direct 

 violence (see Photo-lithograph, Plate II., Fig. 6 — Fracture of 

 the Astragalus), and, if associated with a wound, it is necessary 

 to destroy the animal ; but cases of very severe injuries without 

 wound occur, where the patients completely recover ; and ex- 

 amination after the death of the animal, perhaps years after- 

 wards, reveals the fact that the bones had been broken. It 

 will be understood by the anatomist tliat this applies to the 

 cuneiform and cuboid bones only ; for where the astragalus has 

 been involved, only one method of repair can take place, and 

 that is anchylosis of the true hock-joint. It is most difficult to 

 diagnose this form of injury correctly, from the great tendency 

 to immediate swelling of the part, and from the absence of 

 crepitation ; the reason being that the bones are firmly bound 

 to each other, and to the metatarsals, by very numerous liga- 

 ments. 



If the patient be worth treatment, it will be advisable to 

 apply the high-heeled shoe, to place him in the slings, and to 

 abate irritation and fever by fomentations lightly applied, by 

 sedatives, or even anodynes, as aconite and opium, regulating 

 the action of the bowels by laxative food and gentle aperients. 

 After the subsidence of the fever and of the local heat, when 

 two or three weeks have elapsed, a blister will be of great service 

 in removing pain, and in hastening the process of ossification. 

 Fractures occurring below the hock, except from kicks or blows, 

 are extremely rare; they may result from concussiitn, or the 

 sudden twisting of the limb ; but they are much more commonly 

 found to occur from these causes in the anterior extremities. 

 I shaU therefore consider them along with those of the fore 

 limbs. 



