FRACTURES OF THE HORNS. 



25 



FRACTURES OF THE HORNS. 



Etiology. Fractures of the horns, Hke fissures, are produced by 

 violence, but of a more marked character. They are termed complete 

 or incomplete, according as the entire thickness of the horn or only a 

 portion of that thickness is involved. 



The fracture may affect either the terminal half or the basilar half ; 

 or, again, it may have its seat in the frontal bone below the origin of the 

 horn core, in which case a flake of bone will be detached. Such fractures 

 assume varying forms, and may either be deeply excavated, oblique, 

 smooth, regular or dentated. 



Symptoms. The symptoms are extremely simple. They consist 

 mainly in the mobility of the frac- 

 tured end, and such phenomena 

 as sensitiveness, haemorrhage, etc. 

 When the fracture extends to the 

 frontal bone, crepitation may also 

 be noted. 



Prognosis. The prognosis is not 

 grave unless the fracture extends 

 to the basilar half of the horn or 

 affects the frontal bone. 



Treatment.' (1.) If the fracture 

 is confined to the horn core, it is 

 only necessary to bring the frag- 

 ments into regular apposition, after 

 having removed the broken end of 

 the horn itself. 



(2.) In treating a fracture affect- 

 ing the middle portion of the horn or in treating animals destined for the 

 butcher, the best method is to make a simple wound by dividing the 

 parts with a saw below the fracture. This is a painful operation, neces- 

 sitating anaesthesia, and requiring the animal to be cast or firmly fixed to 

 a post or placed in a trevis. To diminish the painful stage of the opera- 

 tion, it was formerly recommended to make a circular incision extending 

 through the entire thickness of the horn proper, and then to remove 

 with a fine, very sharp saw the portion of the horn core. This, however, 

 is scarcely practicable, and it is much better to make a direct section. 

 Haemorrhage is checked with compresses, moistened with cold water, 

 after which a dressing known as the " Maltese cross dressing " (Fig. 10) 

 is applied according to general principles. 



The surface of the section, after washing with an antiseptic solution, 

 is powdered with iodoform or a mixture of iodoform and boric acid. 



Fig. 10. 



-Dressing for fracture of 

 the horn. 



