250 INJURIES. 



had it not been for the small scar which remained of the wound, a stranger 

 would not have known that any accident had taken place." 



Fractured Patella is rarely seen. Lafosse mentions an instance of 

 it, which he ascribes to a kick from another horse. In whatever manner 

 it may happen, however, and whether it be transverse or longitudinal, it 

 is in all cases to be regarded as incurable. 



Fractured Tibia is not so rare an occurrence. When it happens 

 upon the lower third of the bone, it is then almost always transverse. 

 When it occurs higher up, the fracture is mostly oblique ; and is less 

 manifest : nevertheless, the shortening of the limb, the unnatural motion 

 and crepitation, render its nature plain. This high oblique fracture 

 is incurable, from the opposition of the muscles. However, when 

 the fracture is transverse, and low down, reduction proves less diffi- 

 cult. We shall find room enough to apply splints, having first nicely 

 encased the limb in tow, which is to be stuck to the surface by some 

 adhesive substance. Over the above, some have added a bar of iron, 

 extended from the thigh to the foot, and fastened to the shoe, Where- 

 ever success has been gained, it is the case that the animal is crippled for 

 life. The undertaking, therefore, may be regarded as a hopeless one. 



Even of so large a bone, a fracture may exist for several days without 

 showing itself, as the following cases will prove. They occurred in the 

 practice of Mr. Trump. A large cart-horse came from work very lame, 

 but without any sign of injury. The foot was searched, but nothing 

 further was done. The animal stood several days in the stable, and 

 was then turned out ; it was afterwards discovered with the limb depen- 

 dent from a fractured tibia. A mare came home very lame, with a slight 

 scratch on the inside thigh. A few days afterwards, the tibia was found 

 very obliquely fractured. A draught-horse had been lame for eight days ; 

 there was a slight scratch inside the thigh, and some little swelling upon 

 the hock. Mr. Trump had twice searched the foot. The lameness con- 

 tinuing, it was turned to grass, when, in three days, it showed the tibia 

 broken. 



Fractured Hock. — Mr. Cartwright saw a two year old cart-colt that 

 had hurt the hock. It proved an horizontal fracture of the os calcis. 

 A splint was contrived to reach from the middle of the tibia to the 

 cannon bone ; underneath which was applied a charge, the whole being 

 well padded and bound together. The animal was kept quiet. Two 

 months afterwards the hock was fired. It is npw perfectly well, with 

 the exception of a little enlargement at the place of union. 



Fractured Leg is more common than any lesion which we have con- 

 sidered. The fracture is commonly transverse, and too obvious to re- 

 quire any description. Reduction is not easy ; but once effected, any 



