FRACTURES. 203 



essentially an animal of labour, he ceases to be useful 

 when any important joint or limb becomes disabled, 

 and, therefore, owners of horses, as a rule, object to 

 being put to the expense consequent on the proper 

 treatment of fractures, with the prospect of having an 

 almost useless animal at the termination of it. In all 

 cases, therefore, of fractures of the skull, arm-bone, 

 thigh, shoulder blade, elbow, canon bone, pastern and 

 coffin bones, patella, and navicular bones, the horse, 

 unless very valuable as a stallion or brood mare, should 

 be destroyed. But cases of fractured ribs, jawbones, and 

 face, all admit of a perfect cure if treated properly. 



When the face is fractured, each piece of fractured 

 bone should be removed by making an incision in, and 

 laying back, the skin. This being done, the skin should 

 be once more brought together, and, if necessary, sup- 

 ported by plugging the nostrils. When the jawbone is 

 fractured, which frequently happens where cart-horses 

 are turned out at grass with their shoes on, the bone 

 must be set, and the jawbones kept in this position by 

 means of straps and bandages. The horse must be fed 

 on linseed and oatmeal gruel for some time. 



In fractures of the ribs, where the bone presses on 

 the lungs or other internal organs of importance, little 

 or nothing can be done ; but, in cases of simple fracture, 

 the edges of the bones should be united by applying a 

 bandage of sufficient tightness round the trunk ; which 

 should be suffered to remain on for some time, and a 

 cure will be effected. Fractures of the prominent head 

 of the haunch bone, which are occasioned by horses 



