26 



FRACTURES OF THE HORNS. 



covered with a mass of tow or cotton wool, saturated with liquid anti- 

 septic, and then surrounded with a flat pad of wadding, which extends 

 completely around the horn as far as its base. A second pad of larger 

 size, intended to protect the wound against external violence, is arranged 

 around the free extremity of the horn. This is kept in position by two 

 small cross bandages. Another bandage, the loop of which is fixed to 

 the base of the opposite horn, is then ai:)plied in spiral turns, completely 

 enveloping the former pads and extending from the base to the point. 

 Arriving at the free end, the operator reverses the bandage, draws it 

 tight, and continues down to the base of the horn, fixing it by figure of 8 

 turns passed around the base of both horns. 



(3.) In dealing with fractures of the lower third of the horn in working 

 oxen, it is necessary to seek consolidation of the horn by callus formation, 



so that the animals may again 

 become useful in the yoke. 

 Very great difficulty accom- 

 panies attempts to immobilise 

 the horn in such cases, since 

 the least shock to the extremity 

 of the horn destroys the union, 

 on account of the length of the 

 lever represented by the horn 

 itself. 



The first method of treatment 

 consists, after the wound has 

 been carefully disinfected, in 

 fixing the ends in place by 

 tightly applied pads, surrounded 

 These are supj)orted by several 



Fig. 11. — Splint for fractured horn. 



by splints, curved to fit to the horn, 

 turns of a spiral bandage. 



Were one certain of the cleanliness of the wound and of its perfectly 

 aseptic condition, it would be better at once to have recourse to a fixed 

 bandage, strengthened by plaster or silicate of soda. 



These bandages are applied longitudinally and should extend a con- 

 siderable distance on either side of the fractures. If the horn is long and 

 thick, it is best to use a fixed dressing of this kind secured by bandages 

 in the form of a Maltese cross. 



All these methods, however, are more or less inconvenient, and the 

 most practical procedure often consists in removing the horn. Treatment 

 should only be attempted w^hen the owner specially requests it in order to 

 render the animal useful for working or show purposes. 



Moreover, however strong the dressing, accidents are frequent, for 

 accidental shocks to the fractured horn interfere with the co-aptation of 



