bones: diseases and accidents. 277 



Fracture or the vertebra (spinal column). — This is not so 

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

 through the body of the bone, there may be 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 occa- 

 sionally occur M'ithout interfering with the canal in which the spinal 

 cord is situated. Such accidents are liable to pass unnoticed, for, 

 although the animal may suffer considerable pain, it may not be 

 manifested in such way as to attract attention, and the deep covering 

 of muscles serves effectually to conceal the injury. When the frac- 

 ture occurs in the upper part of the neck, paralysis of the muscles 

 used in respiration must result, and death from asphyxia very 

 shortly ensues. The more common accident is to the loins, and 

 when a fracture of the body of the vertebra occurs in this region 

 so 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 difficult than in the case of any other fracture. The parts can 

 not be moved one upon another so that crepitus is noticeable. The 

 heavy coating of muscles conceals irregularities of shape, which 

 otherwise may attract attention. About the only reliable symptom 

 is paralysis or loss of use and sensation of the parts posterior to the 

 injury. Careful examination may reveal the seat of the injury. If 

 it was the result of a blow, there may be some abrasion of the skin. 

 The diagnosis is only important as an aid in determining the proper 

 course to pursue. 



If paralysis is present and a depression or irregularity of the 

 spinal column is so apparent as to leave no doubt of the existence 

 of a fracture, the only alternative is to destroy the animal, for of 

 recovery there can be no hope. If, on the other hand, the paralysis 

 is incomplete and there is no depression or irregidarity of the spinal 

 column or other evidence of fracture, the patient should be made as 

 comfortable as possible by being placed in a well-bedded box stall 

 and a few days permitted to elapse before the case is abandoned. 

 The symptoms last described may possibly be the result of a severe 

 strain of the muscles of the loins, in which case an improvement will 

 soon be noticeable. 



Fractures of the pelvis. — The pelvis, or bony framework which 

 gives shape to the posterior part of the body, is liable to fracture in 

 many ways. A common one is by a separation of the two bones 

 which constitute the whole pelvis along the bottom and center line 

 (symphysis pubis). In early life the two bones are separate and 

 distinct. The union between them, which is at first cartilaginous, 

 undergoes a change and is converted into bone, so that in adult life 

 the whole pelvis is practically one bone. The point on which the 



