BONES DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS. 291 



that side with absorbent cotton. This practice, however, has the 

 objection of giving the animal great discomfort, and in some cases a 

 disposition to aggravate the injury. 



Fracture of the skull or cranium. Fractures of the bones forming the 

 cavity in which the brain is situated are, owing to their strength, com- 

 paratively rare among cattle. Such an accident can only be the result 

 of external violence, and it is hardly possible that it could occur with- 

 out some fragment of the broken Ixme pressing upon the brain so as to 

 cause coma, other severe nervous derangement, or even death. If the 

 animal survives the first shock the efforts should be directed toward 

 relieving the pressure, which may be done by making an opening in the 

 bone (trephining) and with a hook drawing the depressed part out- 

 ward. Interference is not so likely to be attended with good results as 

 to be warranted in all cases. The eifects of a very severe shock which 

 may not have produced a fracture, although the symptoms were alarm- 

 ing, will in many cases pass off, leaving the animal in a better condition 

 than if an operation had been performed. 



Fracture of the loicer jaic. This occasionally occurs, and is more 

 likely to result from the kick of a horse than from any other cause. 

 The front part of the jaw is likely to be split or shattered in any direc- 

 tion in which the force may have been applied. Bloody discharges 

 from the mouth and failure to eat or ruminate are symptoms most 

 likely to attract attention. The treatment is simple, and consists of 

 first removing detached pieces of bone, then drawing the parts together 

 and retaining them by means of pieces of copper wire fastened around 

 the teeth, and feeding the animal on sloppy food until recovery takes 

 place. The wound should be dressed once or twice a day with a 3 per 

 cent solution of carbolic acid, forced gently in with a syringe so as to 

 remove any food which may have become impacted and interfere with 

 the healing process. 



Fracture of the vertebra: or spinal column. This is not so common 

 among cattle as other animals. If the fracture should be through the 

 body of the bone there is likely to bo pressure on or laceration of the 

 spinal cord, causing paralysis of all parts posterior to the seat of injury. 

 Fractures of the prominences on the vertebra) occasionally occur with- 

 out interfering with the canal in which the spinal cord is located. 

 Such accidents are likely .to pass unnoticed, for although the animal 

 may suffer considerable pain, it is not likely to l>e manifested in such i\ 

 way as to attract attention, and the deep covering of muscles serves to 

 effectually conceal the injury. When the fracture occurs in the upper 

 part of the neck, paralysis of the muscle* used in respiration must 

 result, and death from asphyxia very shortly ensues. The more com 

 inon accident is to the loins, and when a fracture of the bdy of the 

 vertvbrsc occurs in this region HO as to produce pressure on the spinal 

 cord, paralysis of the hind legs and quarters is the result. Diagnosis 

 of such an accident is more diflicult than in the case of any other frac 



