DISEASES OF THE HOilSE. 315 



If, however, it is fairh-^ evident that no displacement exists; tliat 

 pressure upon the spinal cord is not j^et present; that the animal with 

 a little assistance is able to rise upon his feet and to walk a short dis- 

 tance — it may be well to experiment upon the case to the extent of 

 placing the patient in the most favorable circumstances for recovery 

 and allow nature to operate without further interference. This may 

 be accomplished by securing immobility of the whole bod}' as much as 

 possible, and especially of the suspected region, b}' placing the patient 

 in slings, in a stall sufScienth' narrow to preclude lateral motion, and 

 covering the loins with a thick coat of agglutinative mixture. Watch 

 and wait for developments. 



FRACTURE OF THE RIBS. 



The different regions of the chest are not equally exposed to the vio- 

 lence to which fractures of the ribs are due, and they are therefore 

 either more common or more easily discovered during life at some 

 points than at others. The more exposed regions are the middle and 

 the posterior, while the front is largely covered and defended b}- the 

 shoulder. A -single rib may be the seat of fracture, or a number may 

 be involved, and there maj' be injuries on both sides of the chest at the 

 same time. It may take place lengthwise, in any part of the boiie, 

 though the middle, being the most exposed, is the most frequentl}' 

 hurt. Incomplete fractures are usuall}^ lengtlnvise, involving a por- 

 tion onlj" of the thickness or one or other of the surfaces. The com- 

 plete kind may be either transverse or oblique, and are most commonly 

 denticulated. The fracture may be commiriuted, and a single bone 

 rca}' show one of the complete and one of the incomplete kind at dif- 

 ferent points. The extent of surface presented by the thoracic region, 

 with its complete exposure at all points, explains the liabilit}^ of the 

 ribs to suffer from all the forms of external Anolence. 



Symjytoins. — In man}^ instances fractures of these bones continue 

 undiscovered, especially the incomplete variety, without displacement, 

 though the evidences of local pain, a certain amount of swelling, and 

 a degree of disturbance of the respiration, if noticed during the exam- 

 ination of a patient, may suggest a suspicion of their existence. 

 Abnormal mobility and crepitation are difficult of detection, even 

 when present, and they are not always present. When there is dis- 

 placement the deformity which it occasions will betray the fact, and 

 when such an injury exists the surgeon will, of course, become vigilant, 

 in view of possible and probable complications of thoracic trouble, 

 and prepare himself for an encounter with a case of traumatio-pleuritis 

 or pneumonia. Fatal injuries of the heart are recorded. Subcutane- 

 ous emph3'sema is a common accompaniment of broken ribs, and I 

 recall the death from this cause of a patiefit of my own which had 

 suffered a fracture of two ribs in the region of the withers, under the 



