44- FRACTUEES. 



valuable animals is far too great tliat are destroyed under a confused 

 notion of the difficulties of controlling the patient, or the incurable 

 character of the accident. Messrs. Blaine and Percivall have o-iven a 

 valuable record of the usual cases and treatment of fracture which occur 

 m the practice of the English veterinary surgeon ; and the splendid work 

 of Hurtrel d Arboval contains a record of all that has been attempted or 

 efiected on the Continent. The author of this volume must confine him- 

 self to a rapid survey of that which they have described, adding a few 

 cases that have been brought under his own observation, or communicated 

 to him by others. 



With the exception of accidents that occur in casting the animal for 

 certain operations, and his struggles during the operation, the causes of 

 Fracture are usually blows, kicks, or falls, and the lesion may be con- 

 sidered as simple, confined to one bone, and not protruding throuo-h the 

 skm — or compound, the bone or bones protruding through the skin — or 

 comminuted, where the bone is broken or splintered in more than one 

 direction. The duty of the veterinary surgeon resolves itself into the 

 replacing of the displaced bones in their natm^al position, the keepino- of 

 them m that position, the healing of the integument, and the takinS of 

 such measures as will prevent 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, and even to suspend or sHnghim. 



"^^f ^^i*^"^ *^^® ^^^^ P^»® contains a view of the suspensory apparatus 

 used by Mr. Percivall. A broad piece of sail-cloth, furnished with two 

 breechmgs, 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 require. It will seldom be 

 necessary to lift the patient quite oflT the ground, and the horse will be 

 quietest, and most at his ease, when his feet are suffered just to touch it 

 The head 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 speaking, it is not long ere they become perfectly passive. ' 



The use of the different buckles and straps which are attached to the 

 sail-cloth will be evident on inspection. If the horse exhibits more than 

 usual nneasmess, other ropes may be attached to the corners of the sail- 

 cloth. This will afford considerable relief to the patient, as weU as add 

 to the security of the bandages. 



In many cases the fracture, although a simple one, may be visible on the 

 slightest inspection ; in others, there may be merely a suspicion of its ex- 

 istence. Here will be exhibited the skiU and the humanity of the educated 

 surgeon, or the recklessness and brutality of the empiric. The former 

 will carefully place his patient in the position at once the least painful to 

 the sufferer, and the most commodious for himself He will proceed mt'h 

 patience, gentleness, and management— no rough handling or motion of 

 the parts, inflicting torture on the animal, and adding to the injury 

 already received. It is interesting to observe how soon the horse compre- 

 hends all this, and submits to the necessary inspection ; and how complete 

 and satisfactory the examination terminates under the superintendence 

 of the humane and cautious practitioner, while the brute in human shape 

 fails in comprehending the real state of the case. 



Heat, swelling, tenderness, fearfulness of the slightest motion, crepitus, 

 and especially change of the natural position of the limb, are the most 

 frequent indications of fracture. It should be laid do^™ as a general rule, 

 that cases of simple fracture only afford a probable chance of cure; — in 

 compound fractui-es, that is, where the fracture of the bone is compiicoted 



