320 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



upon the toe and seem.s shortened, and locomotion is performed by 

 jumps. Moving the leg while examining it and raising the foot for 

 inspection seem to produce much pain and cause the animal to rear. 

 Crepitation is readily felt with the hand upon the shoulder when the 

 log is moved. If the fracture occurs in the upper part of the bone, 

 overlapping of the fragments and displacement Avill be considerable. 



The fracture of this bone is usually classed among the more serious 

 accidents, though cases may occur which are followed b}- recovery 

 without verj^ serious ultimate results, especiall}^ Avhen the seat of the 

 injury is at some of the upper angles of the bone, or about the acro- 

 mion crest. But if the neck and the joint are the parts involved, com- 

 plications are apt to be present which are likely to disable the animal 

 for life. 



Treatment. — If there is no displacement a simple adhesive dressing, 

 to strengthen and immobilize the parts, will be sufficient. A coat of 

 black pitch dissolved with wax and Venice turpentine, and kept in 

 place over the region with oakum or linen bands, will be all the treat- 

 ment required, especially if the animal is kept quiet in the slings. 



Displacement can not be remedied, and reduction is next to impos- 

 sible. Sometimes an iron plate is applied over the parts and retained 

 b}^ bandages, as in the dressing of Bourgelat; and this may be advan- 

 tageously replaced by a pad of thick leather. In smaller animals the 

 parts are retained b}^ figure-8 bandages, embracing both the normal 

 and the diseased shoulders, crossing each other in the axilla and cov- 

 ered with a coating of adhesive mixture. 



FRACTURKS OF THE HUMERUS. 



These are more common in small than in large animals, and are 

 always the result of external traumatism, such as falls, kicks, and col- 

 lisions. They are generally very oblique, are often comminuted, and 

 though more usuall}' involving the shaft of the bone will in some cases 

 extend to the upper end and into the articular head. 



Sijmjytoms. — There is ordinaril}^ considerable displacement in conse- 

 quence of the overlapping of the broken ends of the bone, and this, of 

 course, causes more or less shortening of the limb. There will also be 

 swelling, with difficulty of locomotion, and crepitation will be easy of 

 detection. This fracture is alwaj^s a serious damage to the patient, 

 leaving him with a permanently shortened limb and an incurable, life- 

 long lameness. 



Treatment. — If treatment is determined on it will consist in the reduc- 

 tion of the fracture by means of extension and counter extension, and 

 in order to accomplish this the animal must be thrown. If successful 

 in the reduction, then follows the application and adjustment of the 

 apparatus of retention, which must needs be of the most perfect and 

 efficient kind. And finally, this, however skillfully contrived and care- 

 fully adapted, will often fail to effect any good purpose whatever. 



