30 



remove a piece of bone so as to get into the cavities and liberate the 

 collected blood or effusion. The lower jaw also sometimes gets broken; 

 but all such cases require the attention of the qualified practitioner. 



92. The Occipital bone, at the back part of the head, is often 

 fractured by the horse falling back, and so is the Atlas or first cervical 

 vertebrae. The injuries are generally followed by paralysis, and the 

 animal has to be destroyed. 



93. The Cervical Vertebrae. — The oblique processes of these 

 bones are now and again fractured, mainly by the horse getting a hind 

 foot shoe fixed in the head collar on scratching its head. When this 

 takes place the head turns round to one side, the nose nearly touching 

 the knee, and there is all the appearance of some of the neck bones being 

 dislocated. (See diagram in Professor Williams' " Surgery.") The 

 head, when this occurs, should be tied up short to the rack with a double 

 shanked halter, and the part supported by a stout pitch plaster, with 

 wooden splints, and cradle, put round the neck. The bones of the 

 neck also occasionally get smashed by the horse falling on its head. 

 One case in particular deserves mention : — " Lord of the Harem," when 

 racing at Harras Moor, Whitehaven, a few years ago, fell and broke 

 the third and fourth neck bones. After falling, strange to say, it got 

 up and ivalked a quarter of a mile to a loose box ; but immediately it got 

 inside, it laid down, and never got up again. I saw it next day, in 

 company with two other professional men, when we ordered it to be 

 destroyed, as there was no mistake about its neck being broken. 

 Greyhounds also frequently come to grief in this fashion when 

 coursing. 



94. Broken Back. — When this happens the animal may rise on to 

 its fore legs, but cannot get the hind ones up ; to test it, stick a pin 

 into the hind limbs, and if it shows pain and can pull its legs up to 

 its belly, or kick out, there is some chance for the patient, but if no 

 pain is evinced the case is hopeless. 



95. The Haunch Hook, or hip-bone, is frequently broken or 

 chipped, and should be noticed particularly, specially when examining 



