322 FRACTURES. 



they can be scarcely said to have any existence. The heels are low, so low that the 

 very coronet seems almost to touc'' the ground; and the crust, if examined, appeals 

 scarcely thick enough to hold the nails. 



Horses with these feet can never stand much work. They will be subject to corns, 

 to bruises of the sole, to convexity of the sole, to punctures in nailing, to breaking 

 away of the crust, to inflanunation of the foot, and to sprain and injury of the pastern, 

 and the fetlock, and the flexor tendon. 



These feet admit of little improvement. Shoeing as seldom as may be, and with 

 a light yet wide concave web ; little or no paring at the time of shoeing, and as little 

 violent work as possible, and especially on rough roads, may protract for a long pe- 

 riod the evil day, but he who buys a horse with these feet will sooner or later have 

 cause to repent his bargain. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



FRACTURES. 



Accidents of this description are not of frequent occurrence, but when they do 

 happen it is not always that the mischief can be repaired : occasionally, however, 

 and much more frequently than is generally imagined, the life of a valuable animal 

 might be saved if the owner, or the veterinary surgeon, would take a little 'trouble, 

 and the patient is fairly tractable, and that, in the majority of cases, he will soon 

 become. The number of valuable animals is far too great that are destroyed under 

 a confused notion of the difficulties of controlling the patient, or the incurable char- 

 acter of the accident. INIcssrs. Blaine and Percivall have given a valuable record 

 of the usual cases and treatment of fracture which occur in the practice of the Eng- 

 lish veterinary surgeon, and the splendid work of Hurtrel d'Arboval contains a re- 

 cord of all that has been attempted or effected on the Continent. The author of this 

 volume must confine himself to a rapid survey of that which they have described, 

 adding a few cases that have been brought under his own observation, or communi- 

 cated to him by others. 



With the exception of accidents that occur in casting the animal for certain opera- 

 tions, and his struggles during the operation, the causes of Fracture are usually 

 blows, kicks, or falls, and the lesion may be considered as simple, confined to one 

 bone, and not protruding through the skin — or compound, the bone or bones protrud 

 tng through the skin — or complicated, where the bone is broken or splintered in more 

 than one direction. The duty of the veterinary surgeon resolves itself into the re- 

 placing of the displaced bones in their natural position, the keeping of them in that 

 position, the healing of the integument, and the taking of such measures as will pre- 

 vent any untoward circumstances from afterwards occurring. 



In the greater number of cases of fracture, it will be necessary to place the horse 

 under considerable restraint, or even to suspend or sling him. 



The cut in the next page contains a view of the suspensorj' apparatus used by 

 Mr. Percivall. A broad piece of sail-cloth, furnished with two breechings, and two 

 breast-girths, is placed under the animal's belly, and, by means of ropes and pulleys 

 attached to a cross beam above, he is elevated or lowered as circumstances may re- 

 quire. It will seldom be necessary to lift the patient quite off the ground, and the 

 horse will be quietest, and most at his ease, when his feet are suffered just to touch 

 it. The liead is confined by two collar ropes, and the head-stall well padded. Many 

 horses may plunge about and be difficult to manage at first, but generally speakmg, 

 it is not long ere they become perfi ctly passive. 



The use of the different buckles and straps which are attached to tlie sail-cloth will 

 be evident on inspection. If the horse exhibits more than usual uneasiness, otJier 

 ropes may be attached to the corners of the sail-cloth. This will afford considerable 

 relief to the patient, as well as add to the securit}^ of the bandages. 



