Fractures] 1 20 [Fractures 



a little shorter than its fellow. The muscles 

 around the bone are so thick and strong that 

 they take the place of bandages, and keep the 

 bone in its place ; whereas when a bandage is 

 applied, it does harm, and as a consequence 

 the bone seldom unites. At the lower extremity 

 it is different ; the muscles here are not so thick, 

 and the application of a splint and bandage sup- 

 ports the broken bone. The best form of splint 

 is one similar to the kind recommended for 

 fracture of the tibia, but made to extend nearly 

 to the top of the thigh. To fix this splint in 

 its place, an ordinary bandage should be applied 

 nearly up to the stifle joint, and then above this 

 the splint is to be kept in its place by means of 

 strips of Mead's plaister, as a simple bandage 

 cannot be kept on the thigh in consequence of 

 its shape and position. 



Fracture of the head of the femur occurs 

 sometimes, especially in puppies, which is often 

 mistaken for dislocation of the hip joint, of 

 which I have never seen a case. The part 

 that is really broken is the neck of the ball 

 of the head of the femur, which fits in the 

 cup of the pelvis that goes to form the hip 

 joint. In these cases great pain is caused by 

 pulling the leg back or abducting it, and distinct 

 crepitation may be felt and heard when moving 

 the limb. If there is any doubt about the case, 

 the exact condition of the parts can always be 

 plainly seen with the assistance of the X-rays. 



After fracture of the neck of the head of the 

 thigh bone, the top of it — namely, the trochanter 



