68^ AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



TREATMENT OF THE WOUND. 



The leg should be bathed with the hot golden seal and 

 salt and water mixture, every few hours, during the first two 

 or three days, and occasionally afterward. 



If the fracture is above the knee or hock-joint, or if both 

 bones are broken below either of these joints, we should ad- 

 vise, if the situation of the horse can be made at all pleasant, 

 to let him remain on his side for two weeks. The frame may 

 be erected to raise him ; and, by all means, a shelter should be 

 made over him to keep off the sun and rain. But it may be 

 dangerous to raise the horse with a badly broken leg ; and 

 then it can not be set as well while standing as when he is 

 on his side. If, in his lying position, the broken leg is the 

 upper one, not much need be done to fix a support. Some 

 bundles of straw may be laid so that the foot can rest upon 

 them. If it is the under leg, the ground should be hol- 

 lowed out under the fracture, and some straw placed under 

 the wounded part for it to rest upon. Examinations should 

 be made to ascertain if the leg is swelling so as not to make 

 the bandages too tight. If too tight, they must be loosened. 

 This should be done only in extreme cases, and will readily 

 be discovered by the indications of suffering that the patient 

 exhibits. If proper attention has been paid to bathing his 

 leg, this will not be necessary. If the accident should hap- 

 pen in the winter, by all means get the horse into the barn 

 or stable. His fractured leg may be temporarily bandaged 

 and splinted, and then the animal gently moved on to a low 

 sled, and thus drawn into the barn or stable, where he will 

 be warm and comfortable. If he is still on his feet, he may 

 be led into his stall, and all the operations of setting and after 

 attentions be better paid him here than anywhere else. 



If the bones are not displaced, and the leg is not bent, the 

 simple adhesive bandage is all that will be needed. In cases 

 of this kind, the bandages may be taken off on the third day, 

 and re-dipped in the adhesive mixture and bound on again. 



Attention should also be given to his feed. He will want 



