308 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



furnished with a block and pulleys, in order to augment the power 

 when necessary; and there is, in fact, always an advantage in their 

 use, on the side of steadiness and uniformity, as well as of increased 

 power. It is secured around the fetlock or the coronet, or, what is 

 better, above the knee and nearer the point of fracture, and is com- 

 mitted to assistants. The traction on this should be firm, uniform, 

 and slow, without relaxing or jerking, while the operator carefully 

 watches the process. If the bone is superficially situated he is able 

 to judge by the eye of any changes that may occur in the form or 

 length of the parts under traction, and discovering, at the moment of 

 its happening, the restoration of symmetry in the disturbed region, 

 he gently but firmly manipulates the place until all appearance of 

 severed continuity has vanished. Sometimes the fact and the instant 

 of restoration are indicated by a peculiar sound, or " click," as the 

 ends of the bone slip into contact, to await the next step of the 

 restorative procedure. 



The process is the same when the bones are covered with thick 

 muscular masses, excepting that it is attended with greater difficulties, 

 from the fact that the finger must be substituted for the eye, and the 

 taxis must take the place of the sight. 



It frequently happens that perfect coaptation is prevented by the 

 interposition between the bony surfaces of substances, such as a small 

 fragment of detached bone or a clot of blood, and sometimes the 

 extreme obliquity of the fracture is the opposing cause, by permit- 

 ting the bones to slip out of place. These are difficulties which can 

 not always be- overcome, even in small-sized animals, and still it is 

 only when they are mastered that a correct consolidation can be 

 looked for. Without it the continuity between the fragments will be 

 by a deformed callus, the union will leave a shortened, crooked, or 

 angular limb and a disabled animal. 



If timely assistance can be obtained, and the reduction accom- 

 plished immediately after the occurrence of the accident, that is the 

 best time for it. But if it can not be attended to until inflammation 

 has become established and the parts have become swollen and pain- 

 ful, time must be allowed for the subsidence of these symptoms 

 before attempting the operation. A spasmodic muscular contraction 

 which sometimes interposes a difficulty may be easily overcome by 

 subjecting the patient to general anesthesia, and need not, therefore, 

 cause any loss of time. A tendency to this may also be overcome 

 by the use of sedatives and antiphlogistic remedies. 



The reduction of the fracture having been accomplished, the prob- 

 lem which follows is that of retention. The parts which have been 

 restored to their natural position must be kept there, without dis- 

 turbance or agitation, until the perfect formation of a callus, and it 

 is here that ample latitude exists for the exercise of ingenuity and 



