bones: diseases and accidents. 271 



with soft material where they come in contact with bony promi- 

 nences, and held in position by means of bandages, are the oldest 

 method, and with some are still most popular. The fracture pads 

 used in human surgery, and for sale in surgical depots, are very con- 

 venient. After being dipped in water they may be molded to fit the 

 limb and be retained by means of bandages. Heav}^ sole leather is 

 also used after being soaked in warm water- and molded to the shape 

 of the limb and holes cut in it to fit over any sharp irregularities in 

 the natural shape of the bones. Gutta-percha sheets are also used 

 and answer well. They are prepared and used in the same way as 

 the leather. 



Another and perhaps the simpl^t of all methods is the application 

 of a plaster-of -Paris bandage, which is made as follows: Strips of 

 thin cheesecloth 3 inches wide and 8 or 9 feet long are laid flat on 

 a board and on them is spread a layer of plaster of Paris about one- 

 eighth of an inch thick ; then, starting at one end, roll carefully so as 

 to gather the plaster in between the layers of the bandage. It is of 

 course important that the cloth be thin and the plaster of Paris fresh 

 and active. After preparing four or five of such bandages the op- 

 erator is ready to dress the fracture, which, after the parts have been 

 brought into position, should be done by covering all that part of 

 the limb to which the plaster-of -Paris bandage is to be applied with 

 a single layer of the dry bandage, letting it extend both above and 

 below the part to which the plaster bandage is to be applied and 

 including under the folds of the dry bandage at each end a layer of 

 absorbent cotton, which is intended to form a -pad to prevent the 

 ends of the plaster bandage from chafing the skin beneath. When 

 this is done one of the plaster bandages should be placed in a vessel 

 of water and allowed to remain till the air bubbles have ceased to 

 rise from it, which will generally indicate that it is soaked through. 

 Then, taking it in the hand, wind it carefully around and around the 

 limb, unrolling the bandage as it is wound around the limb, occasion- 

 ally smoothing down the plaster of Paris. Should it form roughly 

 or in ridges the hand may be dipped in water to impart increased 

 moisture to it. When about finished with one bandage, place another 

 one in the water, so that the winding operation may be continued 

 without delay. The bandages should be applied till the cast is from 

 one-half to thriee-quarters of an inch thick, then gently restrain the 

 animal for one-half or three-quarters of an hour till the plaster is 

 hardened. Any of the appliances used should be so manipulated as 

 to prevent absolutely any motion of the detached parts. If the 

 fracture is near a joint, it is generally best to include the joint in the 

 appliance. The part of the limb below the bandage should be care- 

 fully and firmly wrapped with an ordinary cotton bandage all the 

 way from the plaster bandage down to the hoof. This last bandage 



