252 INJURIES. 



Fractured Sesamoid Bones are comparatively rare. This accident is 

 generally hopeless. 



Fractured Coronary Bone. — This commonly runs into the joints 

 above and below, splitting the bone into several pieces. The accident 

 may occur in two legs at once. Fromage de Feugre has- seen the bones 

 in the hind legs of a horse split irregularly into six pieces. On another 

 occasion, he found one bone split into four pieces. Ensconced as the 

 coronary bone partially is within the hoof, and fenced laterally by the 

 cartilages, we are therefore compelled to receive presumptive proof of 

 its fracture. The symptoms that will assist us are, extreme lameness, and 

 inability to bear weight. 



Fractured Cofein Bone is difficult of development: we are there- 

 fore obliged to depend on presumptive symptoms. The animal halts ex- 

 ceedingly, the foot is hot, and the pain extreme ; and there appears no 

 cause for this. It is not so serious an accident as it has been represented. 

 No displacement can take place ; and as for the weight being imposed, 

 the pain will prevent that. Moreover, in such a vascular bone as this is, 

 union will be more prompt : only the callus may be accompanied with 

 deformity, and will be likely to press upon the soft parts, in that way 

 keeping up the lameness. It has been recommended to make some 

 grooves or breeches in the hoof, or to thin the wall. All that we can do 

 is, to thin the sole to the utmost, draw blood from the coronet by scarifi- 

 cation, and keep the foot in warm baths and emollient poultices. 



Fracture happens in this manner : In the healthy foot, because of the 

 elasticity of the connexions, the bone yields under the bones above : thus 

 they are enabled to bear great weights, and to sustain violent shocks ; 

 but disease in the foot is found often to destroy their elasticity : the re- 

 sult is, inability to receive weight and concussion without risk of frac- 

 . ture. Besides which, the strength of the bones is materially reduced 

 from the effects of disease. And horses that have suffered neurotomy 

 frequently meet with this accident, because they batter their senseless 

 feet down with a force which, under similar circumstances, pain would 

 forbid them exerting. 



Fractured Navicular Bone is commonly owing to disease, which 

 causes it to give way when any sudden impression is made upon it. 

 Though this is the common mode in which the accident happens, anchy- 

 losis and consequent loss of ligamentary or elastic connexions may lead 

 to the same result. Formerly, this fracture used to be accounted a rare 

 occurrence: the introduction of neurotomy, however, has made us better 

 ac(j[uainted with it. 



