SPECIAL INJURIES OF BONES. 347 



generally improves as he warms up to work. The toe of the 

 shoe wears faster than the heel, and the heel in old standing 

 cases may be a little contracted, but it is not unnaturally warm, 

 nor is there wincing on tapping the quarter or the sole to either 

 side of the body of the frog, with a hammer. This serves to 

 distinguish from disease of the small pulley-shaped bone of the 

 foot — the misnamed coffin-Joint disease. Pressure on the tendons 

 in the hollow of the heel causes much pain and wincing, and the 

 precise seat of injury may be ascertained from the position of 

 greatest suffering — in the median line, to the inner side or to 

 the outer. 



Treatment — Shorten the toe, apply a high-heeled shoe and 

 surround the pastern with bandages soaked in cold water or 

 some cooling astringent lotion, A purgative will be useful ii 

 inflammation runs high. When heat and tenderness subside, 

 any remaining lameness may usually be removed by a blister 

 on the front and sides of the pastern. . ; -. 



FRACTURES OF THE HIP-BONES. 



Fracture of the Outer Angle. — In young animals a little 

 nodule from the extreme angle is often broken off by blows 

 before it has acquired a firm connection with the parent bone. 

 In the old, the fracture usually extends deeper, three, four, or 

 six inches in breadth being often detached. In either case the 

 fragment is drawn downward by the muscles leading to a greater 

 or less flattening oi the quarter, and it usually becomes attached 

 to the parent bone by fibrous tissue or even bony union. In 

 some instances, the fragment acting as a foreign body sets up 

 inflammation with suppuration and a running sore. The slighter 

 cases are not necessarily attended by lameness, but if much bone 

 has been detached, with considerable flattening, there is more 

 or less halting on the limb. Treatment consists in keeping the 

 animal still until union has been eftected, or in case of a running 

 sore a free incision should be made and the fragment of bone 

 extracted. 



