FRACTUEES IN aENERAL. 297 



exudation lasting for about three days. (2) The external and (if the bone 

 be hollow) internal encasing of the broken ends by soft material, which 

 is completed in about the twelfth day. (5) The conversion of the soft 

 encasing material into bone, which holds the parts together for the time 

 being, and which is called the provisional callus. This stage will be finished 

 at about the end of a month. (4) The formation, between the broken ends, 

 of material which, on becoming converted into bone (definitive callus), 

 completes the union of the separated parts, and which commences after the 

 provisional callus has become sufficiently strong to check movement 

 in the part. This process would probably require a couple of months for its 

 full accomplishment, but it cannot take place if movement in the broken 

 ends of the bone be set up from time to time. (5) The absorption of excess 

 of callus, which requires several months to complete its course, and even 

 then is almost certain to leave more or less roughness and thickening of bone. 

 The foregoing detail holds good in compound fracture, in which repair is 

 generally delayed by suppuration. 



FIBROUS UNION OF FRACTURE AND FALSE JOINT.— In fibrous 

 union, the reparative material which is formed between the broken ends, 

 instead of becoming converted into bone, is changed into fibrous tissue, 

 usually on account of the disturbing influence of frequent movement. In 

 false joint, fibrous tissue forms a capsule round the broken ends, which, by 

 rubbing against each other while being thus held together, make a more or 

 less effective joint. 



GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF FRACTURE.— Sudden and great 

 lameness ; deformity of the part with or without abnonnal mo- 

 bility; pain; and fever. Grating (crepitus) may be felt, or even 

 heard when the broken surfaces rub together. When there is frac- 

 ture without displacement, there is often very little to show what 

 is amiss as long as the animal is kept quiet. The symptoms, then, 

 are somewhat similar to those of violent sprain. Here, the ab- 

 sence of injury to other parts will generally help us in our inves- 

 tigation. When feeling the part, great care should be taken not 

 to separate the divided ends, if there be no displacement; nor to 

 convert a simple fracture into a compound one, which is far more 

 dangerous and more difficult of cure, by reason of the entrance 

 into the wound of putrefactive germs from without, as well as by 

 the increased extent of the injury. 



GENERAL TREATMENT OF FRACTURES.— If there be dis- 

 placement, the broken ends of the bone should be brought 

 together, and the part placed in as natural a position as possible. 

 If there be compound fracture, the wound should be thoroughly 

 syringed out with some suitable antiseptic (p. 67), which will 

 disinfect it as well as clean it. Drainage (p. 75) should be 

 secured, and the wound should be treated antiseptically (p. 74) 

 until it becomes healed. All completely separated fragments of 

 bone, in the case of comminuted compound fracture, should be 

 removed ; but those which are only loosened, and which are still 

 connected to periosteum, should be left undisturbed, or gently ad- 



