FRACTURES OP HIP BONES. 317 



doubtless been observed by the extensive cattle breeders of the West, 

 and their practice and example fully establish the inutility of inter- 

 ference. Still, cases may occur in which reduction may be indicated, 

 and it then becomes a matter of no difficulty. It is effected by the 

 introduction of a round, smooth piece of wood into the rectum as 

 far as the fragment of bone and using it as a lever, resting upon 

 another as a fulcrum placed under it outside. The bone, having been 

 thus returned, niay be kept in place by the ordinary external means 

 in use. 



The os innominatum. Fractures of the ilium may be observed 

 either at the angle of the hip or at the neck of the bone ; those of the 

 pubes may take place at the symphysis, or in the body of the bone; 

 those of the ischium on the floor of the bone, or at its posterior ex- 

 ternal angle. Or, again, the fracture may involve all three of these 

 constituent parts of the hip bone by having its situation in the articu- 

 lar cavity the acetabulum by which it joins the femur or thigh bone. 



Symptoms. Some of these fractures are easily recognized, while 

 others are difficult to identify. The ordinary deformity which char- 

 acterizes a fracture of the external angle of the ilium, its dropping 

 and the diminution of that side of the hip in width, unite in indica- 

 ting the existence of the condition expressed by the term " hipped." 

 But an incomplete fracture, or one that is complete without displace- 

 ment, or even one with displacement, often demands the closest scru- 

 tiny for its discovery. The lameness may be well marked, and an 

 animal may show but little appearance of it while walking, but upon 

 being urged into a trot will manifest it more and more, until pres- 

 ently he will cease to use the crippled limb altogether, and perform 

 his traveling entirely on three legs. The acute character of the lame- 

 ness will vary in degree as the seat of the lesion approximates the 

 acetabulum. In walking, the motion at the hip is very limited, and 

 the leg is dragged ; while at rest it is relieved from bearing its share 

 in sustaining the body. An intelligent opinion and correct conclu- 

 sion will depend largely upon a knowledge of the history of the case, 

 and while in some instances that will be but a report of the common 

 etiology of fractures, such as blows, hurts, and other external vio- 

 lence, the simple fact of a fall may furnish in a single word a satis- 

 factory solution of the whole matter. 



With the exception of the deformity of the ilium in a fracture of 

 its external angle, and unless there has been a serious laceration of 

 tissues and infiltration of blood, or excessive displacement, there are 

 no very definite external symptoms in a case of a fracture of the hip 

 bone. There is one, however, which, in a majority of cases, will not 

 fail it is crepitation. This evidence is attainable by both external 

 and internal examination by manipulation of the gluteal surface 

 and by rectal taxis. Very often a lateral motion, or balancing of the 

 hinder parts by pressing the body from one side to the other, will be 



