452 FIJACTUKES. 



the circumstance, it would have been deemed impossible that a fracture, 

 and of such a bone, could have existed so long without detection. 



Mr. J. S. Maydr gives an interesting account of the successful treat- 

 ment of a case of fracture of the tibia, in the Transactions of the Vet. 

 Med. Association, in which some other cases, successfully treated, are 

 narrated. The simplicity of the process ^\dll, we trust, encoui'age many 

 another veterinary surgeon to follow his example. 



' A horse received a blow on the tibia of the near leg, but little notice 

 was taken of it for two or three days. When, however, we were called in 

 to examine him, we found the tibia to be obliquely fractured about mid- 

 way betAveen the hock and the stifle, and a small wound existing on the 

 inside of the leg. It was set in the following manner : — The leg from the 

 stifle down to the hock was well covered Avith an adhesive compound ; it 

 was then wrapped round with fine tow, upon which another layer of the 

 same adhesive mixture was laid, the whole being well splintered and 

 bandaged np, so as to render what Avas a slightly compound fracture a 

 simple one. The local inflammation and sympathetic fever that siiper- 

 vened were kept down by antiphlogistic measures. At the end of six 

 weeks the bandages and splints were removed, and readjusted in a similar 

 way as before, and at the termination of three months fi'om the time ol 

 the accident, he was discharged cured, the splints being wholly taken off, 

 and merely an adhesive stay kept on the leg. The horse is now at work 

 .i,nd quite sound, there being merely a Uttle thickening, Avhere the callus is 

 formed.' 



Fracture of the boxes of the hock. — This is not of frequent occur- 

 rence, but very difficult to treat, from the almost impossibility of finding 

 means to retain the bone in its situation. A case, however, someAvhat 

 simple in its nature, occurred in the practice of Mr. CartAvright. A colt, 

 leaping at some rails, got his leg between them, and, unable to extricate 

 himself, hung over on the other side. After being Hberated, it appeared 

 on examination that there. Avas a simple horizontal fracture of the av hole of 

 the OS calcis about the middle. A splint Avas contrived so as to reach from 

 the middle of the tibia to that of the cannon bone, and this Avas applied to 

 the front of the leg, keeping the hock from its usual motion, and relaxing 

 the muscles inserted into the os calcis. Underneath this splint a chai'go 

 Avas applied about the part, in order to form a level surface for the splint 

 to rest upon. The whole Avas bound together by projoer adhesive band- 

 ages, and he was ordered to be kept quiet in the stable, but not to be 

 slung. In about two months the hock Avas fired and became perfectly 

 sound. 



Fracture of the cannox or shank bone. — This is of more frequent 

 occuri-ence than that of any other bone, on account of the length of the 

 leg, and the danger to Avhich it is exposed. There is rarely any difficulty 

 in detecting its situation, but there is sometimes a great deal in bringing 

 the divided edges of the bone again into apposition. A kind of AvindJass, 

 or a poAver equal to it, is occasionally necessary to produce sufficient ex- 

 tension in order to effect the desired purpose : but the divided edges being 

 brought into apposition are retained there by the force of the muscles 

 above. Splints reaching from the foot to above the knee should then be 

 applied. The horse should be placed in slings, after which, if the case is 

 going on well, the animal may often be turned out. 



In cases of compound fracture the Avounds should be carefully attended 

 to : but Mr. Percivall says, in his ' Hippopathology,' that he knows one 

 or two old practitioners, Avho are in the habit of treating these cases in a 

 very summary and generally successful manner. They employ such com- 

 mon supjHn-t, with sj)lints and tow and bandages, as the case seems to 



