DOGS'. THEIR MANAGEMENT, 447 



The remaining slip is fixed to the side of the limb. After 

 the pliable gutta percha has been forced to assume the 

 shape desired, it is the practice of the writer to cover it 

 with a cloth saturated in cold spring water, to hasten the 

 setting of the material, and thereby shorten a process 

 which always renders the dog somewhat uneasy. All 

 this accomplished, he next braces the splints together, 

 and fixes them upon the limb, by means of a long piece 

 of tape ; putting under them, next to the skin of the 

 animal, a quantity of lint to prevent the gutta percha 

 from irritating the flesh. The tapes he also runs through 

 the holes previously made, and winds about the limb, or 

 over the splints rather, but not too tightly in the first 

 instance with the intent of arousing the restorative 

 amount of inflammation. This quantity of inflammation, 

 the reader may imagine, would be certain to ensue on so 

 violent an injury as the separation of the hard supports 

 of the body ; but in this he is mistaken. I have known 

 a favorite hound to break at once the four metatarsal 

 bones, and though the splints necessary to promote a 

 union were kept on above two months, nothing of the 

 kind took place ; at the end of which time all bandages 

 were removed, and his movements effected the cure 

 which my appliances were unable to bring about. Some 

 persons even advocate taking off all bandages from a 

 broken leg, and sending the dog for a walk, where union 

 is tardy ; but people who use such language talk about 

 that, concerning which they literally know nothing. It 

 is not one walk which will produce the desired effect ; but 



