454 FRACTUKES. 



however, are numerous in which the case terminates successfully. Hurtrel 

 D'Ai"boval recommends that a bandage steeped in some adhesive matter 

 should be applied from the coronet to the middle of the leg. On this some 

 wet pasteboard is to be moulded, enveloped afterwards in a linen bandage. 

 A small splint is now to be applied before and behind and on each side, and 

 the hollow places are filled with tow, in order to give them an equal bear- 

 ing. If this does not appear to be sufficiently secure, other splints, 

 thicker and broader, are placed over those,' extending to the knee or the 

 hock. 



The case related by M. Le\Tat was treated in this way. It will be com- 

 paratively seldom that it will be necessary to suspend the patient. The 

 animal under the treatment of M. Levrat, kept his foot in the air for 

 nearly three weeks. At the end of that period he now and then tried to 

 rest his toe on the litter. Six weeks after the accident he began to throw 

 some weight on the foot ; and a few days afterwards he was able to go to 

 a pond, about fifty paces from his stable, and where, of his 0"\^^l accord, he 

 took a foot-bath for nearly an hour at a time. At the expiration of 

 another month he was mounted, and went veiy well at a walking- joace ; he 

 was, hov/ever, still lame when he was trotted. 



Another horse, treated by the same surgeon, was soon able to rest on the 

 bad leg, in order to change his position — he was allowed three weeks after 

 that, and then commenced his former daily Avork — the drawing of a heavy 

 cart. He Kmped a little when he was trotted; but did as much slow work 

 as he was ever accustomed to do. 



Fracture of the lower pastern. — Although this bone is much shorter 

 than the upper pastern, there are several instances of fracture of it. The 

 fractures of this bone are commonly longitudinal, and often present a 

 lesion of continuity extending from the larger pastern to the coffin-bone. 

 It is frequently splintered, the splinters taking tliis longitudinal direction, 

 llurtrel D'Arboval relates three cases of this, and in one of them the bone 

 was splintered into four pieces. In several instances, however, this bone 

 has been separated into eight or ten distinct pieces. When the fractui^e 

 of the bone is neither compound nor complicated, it may be perfectly 

 reduced by projier bandaging, and, in fact, there have been cases, in which 

 union has taken place with slight assistance from art beyond the applica- 

 tion of a few bandages. 



M, Gazot relates a very satisfactory termination of fracture of this bone 

 in a carriage-horse in the Recueil de Med. Vet. for 1834. The animal fell, 

 and was totally unable to rise again. He was placed on some hurdles, and 

 dra"vvn home. A veterinary surgeon bsing consulted, recognised fracture 

 of the lower pastern in both feet, and advised that the animal should be 

 destroyed. It was a favourite horse, between five and six years old, and 

 the owner determined to give it a chance of recovery. 



M. Gazot was consulted. He plainly recognised a transverse fracture 

 in the lower pastern of the right leg, and a longitudinal one in the left 

 pastern. They were both of them simple fractures. The horse was 

 manageable, and seemed to comprehend the whole affair. He was a 

 favourite of the groom as well as the master, and it was determined to give 

 him a chance of recovery. He had plenty of good litter under him, which 

 was changed twice in the day. The first object that was attempted to be 

 accomplished was the healing of the excoriations that had taken place in 

 drawing him home, and abating the inflammation that was appearing about 

 the pasterns. 



At the termination of the first week all these were healed, the horse fed 

 well, and was perfectly quiet, except that when he was tired of lying on 

 one side. he contrived to get on his knees, and then to raise himself on his 



