PARTICULAR FRACTURES. 249 



bone were placed in apposition ; and lard was smeared over the entire 

 surface. Then some slips of green wood (which had been immersed in 

 boiling water until they could be bent to the shape of the knee) were 

 placed on the sides of the joint. In about a fortnight the animal became 

 very restless. In six weeks, much emaciated, it was taken out of the 

 slings, and with considerable ossific deposit about the knee. At first it 

 knuckled over on the pastern, but gradually it regained the strength, 

 and, with the exception of turning the leg a little outward in progression, 

 became as useful as ever for common purposes. 



Fractured Elbow is known by the mobility and looseness of the 

 olecranon. The animal halts exceedingly, and can no longer extend 

 the arm ; but trails the foot after it. When complete, this fracture 

 is incurable. When the separation is not perfected, there may be a 

 chance. The first thing to be done, is by a dossil of tow interposed 

 between the elbow and the ribs, to keep the olecranon in its place. Splints 

 are to be applied to fix the scapulo-humeral joint ; after which, bandages 

 must be wound round the elbow and chest, so as to confine the whole 

 together. 



Fractured Femur. — Short, strong, moveable, and protected as this 

 bone is, yet does fracture of it occur ; and from extraordinary efforts or 

 kicks on the part of the horse himself. Let what part may be broken — 

 head or body — it is an accident which must be obscure, and often im- 

 possible of detection. Whenever its presence is ascertainable, or even 

 presumable, the sooner the subject of it is shot the better. 



Mr. Dick has favoured us with a case of fractured inner condyle of the 

 femur. A mare, in leaping a sunken fence, had wounded the stifle : a 

 hard body was felt in the wound, which proved to be the fractured por- 

 tion of bone: it having escaped towards the inside of the joint, where it 

 was retained by a portion of ligament. The impossibility of replacing 

 this fragment, and the little vascularity of its connections, rendering union 

 improbable, Mr. Dick resolved to remove it. This he did by enlargeniiig 

 the wound, and dividing the portion of capsular ligament which was still 

 attached to it. It proved to be the inner condyle. The wound was sewn 

 up, and adhesive straps applied. Considerable inflammation followed, and 

 some fever ; all which, however, under Mr. Dick's management, did well. 

 " From the fifth day it gradually improved : and although in this case 

 one of the largest articulations in the body was laid open, and a part of 

 the articular portion of the bone removed, the wound healed in so rapid 

 a manner, that in three weeks the mare walked without lameness." At 

 the end of another three weeks, " it trotted several times along the stable 

 yard, apparently sound, with the exception of moving the limb in a slight 

 decree wider than usual ; and so completely had the part recovered, that 



