444 FEACTURES. 



It having been known that a horse had received a violent bloAV on the 

 head, the strictest examination of the part should take place. An artillery 

 horse broke loose from his groom, and, after galloping about, dashed in to 

 his own stall with such force as sadly to cut his face under the forelock. 

 The farrier on duty sewed up the wound, proper di^essings were applied, 

 and in a little more than a fortnight the woujid was healed and the horse 

 dismissed, apparently well. Four days afterwards the patient moved stiffly ; 

 the jaws could not be separated more than a couple of inches, and there 

 was evident locked jaw. The horse was cast, and the place where the 

 wound had been was most carefully examined. On cutting to the bottom 

 of it, a fracture was discovered, and a piece of bone three-fourths of an 

 inch long was found on the centre of the parietal suture. This was re- 

 moved — the wound was properly di'essed, and a strong aloetic drmk was 

 given with great difficulty. The aloetie drink was repeated — the bowels 

 became loosened — the tetanic symptoms diminished, and in less than three 

 Aveeks the horse was perfectly cured. 



This case, related in the seventh vokime of the ' Veterinarian,' is a very 

 Interesting one. There was some carelessness in entrusting the treatment 

 of the wound to the farrier ; but the surgeon afterwards repaired the error 

 as well as he could, and no one was better pleased than he was at the 

 result. A violent blow being received on the forehead, the part should 

 always be most carefully examined. 



Hurtrel D'Ai'boval relates three cases of fracture of the skull. One 

 occurred in a mare that ran violently against a carriage. The skull was 

 depressed, and a portion of bone was removed, but it was four months ere 

 complete reunion of the edges was effected. Another horse received a 

 violent kick on the forehead. The union of the depressed bones was 

 effected after the external wound was healed, but there was always a 

 depression, an inch in length. An aged mare met with the same kind ol 

 accident. A depression here remained as large as a finger, 



Feacttoe of the arch of the orbit of the eye. — Mr. Pritchard, in the 

 second volume of the 'Veterinarian,' relates an interesting case of fracturo 

 of the orbit of the eye. A chestnut mare, he says, received a blow which 

 fractured the orbit from the superciliary foramen, in a line through the 

 zygomatic jDrocesses of the temporal and malar bones, to the outer angle 

 of the eye. The detached bone, together Avith the divided integTiment, 

 hung over the eye so as to intercept vision. On examining the place 

 where the accident occurred, two portions of bone were found belonging 

 to the oi'bital arch. After carefully inspecting the woimd and finding no 

 other detached portions, nor any spiculte which might irritate or wound, 

 the adjacent portions of the skin were carefully dra^vu together and 

 secured by a silver wire, which closed the woimd, and confined the 

 detached portion of bone in its proper place. A mash diet was 

 ordered. On the following day there was considerable inflammation. 

 The eye was bathed wath warm water, and a dose of physic administered. 

 On the third day the inflammation and swelhng had still more increased. 

 Blood was abstracted from the vein at the angle of the eye. The swelling 

 and inflammation now speedily abated, and on the fifteenth day the 

 wound had quite healed. If a fracture of this kind is suspected, its exist- 

 ence may be easily determined, by introducing the thumb under, and 

 keeping the fore-finger upon, the edge of the orbit. 



Fracture of the nasal bones. — This mil sometimes occur from falling, 

 or be produced by a kick from another horse, or the brutality of the 

 attendant or the rider. We have seen a passionate man strike a horse 

 about tlie head with a heavy hunting-whip. The danger of punishment 

 of tliis kind is obvious ; and so would be the propriety of using the whip 



