FRACTURE OF THE BONES OF THE FORE EXTREMITY 243 



teeth is movable and emits a crepitus. When the body of one bone is 

 broken away from the other the displaced portion may be firmly fixed 

 in an upward, downward, or outward direction. If, as sometimes occurs, 

 it is also broken across, then it will be freely movable. 



Treatment. The simplest form of fracture, and the one most amen- 

 able to treatment, is that in which one bone is torn away from the other. 

 In this case replacement may be effected by means of a little pressure 

 and manoeuvring with the hand, or it may require the use of a pair of 

 large pincers, as already prescribed for the lower jaw, to bring the displaced 

 part into position. 



Broken teeth must be removed, and any that may be found to be 

 pushed out of place should be properly restored to their natural position. 



Any bits of bone that may be loose and detached must be taken away. 

 If allowed to remain, their presence will excite irritation and pus formation 

 in the surrounding tissues and retard reparation. 



The broken fragments may be retained in position by copper wire 

 bound round the incisor teeth. 



During the first forty-eight hours the patient should be kept exclu- 

 sively on thick gruel, and afterwards on sloppy bran diet, other forms 

 of aliment being gradually added as the case progresses. 



It is desirable to keep the horse in pillar reins for a short time after the 

 parts have been readjusted. 



FRACTURE OF THE BONES OF THE FORE EXTREMITY 

 FRACTURE OF THE SCAPULA OR BLADE-BONE 



Fracture of the scapula is fortunately of rare occurrence, partly because 

 it is covered with thick muscles and rests on others on the elastic chest 

 wall, partly also because its movements are of limited extent, and in some 

 degree also on account of its out-of-the-way position. 



Sudden and violent blows are the chief cause by which fracture of this 

 bone is brought about. When occurring at the upper angles there is some 

 prospect of recovery, but fracture of the body of the scapula, or the neck, 

 or the articular cavity can hardly be viewed otherwise than as a dangerous 

 condition. Splints and bandages cannot be applied with the same restrain- 

 ing influence on movement which they afford when applied to those bones 

 which are below the elbow and away from the trunk. 



The symptoms displayed in scapula fracture are very vague. Crepitus 

 is always difficult to develop and in most cases impossible. The bone does 

 not lend itself like the lower bones of the limb to the required manipulation 



