304: FKACTUEE8. 



case, we may expect a favourable termination. After two or 

 three days, the broken bone, on being felt, gives, in the case of 

 the long pastern bone, the impression that it is surrounded by a hard, 

 thick covering (the ensheathing material), which makes it of 

 greater circumference than the corresponding bone of the other 

 leg. Besides, the inequalities which can be felt on the surface of 

 the latter,, at the back of the pastern, are absent on that of the 

 former. At first, there is, above the fetlock, much sympathetic 

 swelling, which rapidly goes down. Although, when there has 

 been little or no displacement, the horse, as a rule, makes a good 

 recovery for slow work; still, if used for fast paces, he will rarely 

 regain his former speed, on account of the fracture almost always 

 extending into one or both joints. Also, the ensheathing bony 

 material is very apt to interfere with the action of the ligaments 

 and tendons, especially during the extreme flexion and extension 

 entailed on the joints by the gallop. I have known a horse regain 

 soundness in six months after a vertical fracture of the long pastern 

 bone which split the bone, from front to rear, into two halves, but 

 without marked displacement. In this case I ascertained the 

 nature of the fracture by post-mortem examination of the animal, 

 which subsequently died from a cause (anthrax) altogether mi- 

 connected with the injury to its pastern. Fig. 117 shows fracture 

 of the short pastern bone, with bony union of both joints. 



TREATMENT. — The animal should be placed in slings in order 

 to enable him to give the fractured limb rest and to prevent him 

 from injuring the sound one by throwing too much weight on it. 

 The shoe should be carefully removed, and sawdust put down, so 

 that the horse may obtain an easy position for his foot. Although 

 cases often do well when left alone and given complete rest, it is 

 the safer plan to support and fix the part by careful bandaging, 

 which may done in the following manner, as described by Peuch 

 and Toussaint : — At first, ajDply a cotton bandage — about three 

 fingers broad and four yards long — around the pastern, taking care 

 to spread a coating of a solution of plaster of Paris over the surface 

 of the bandage as each turn is made, so as to render it immovable. 

 A mass of tow soaked in the plaster solution, should be placed 

 so as to fill up the hollow behind the pastern, and should be 

 kept in position by another bandage, over which a thick coating 

 of plaster should also be applied. After a quarter of an hour, the 

 plaster will become hard and will keep the part in a state of perfect 

 rest. Care should be taken that these bandages are not put 

 on too tightly." " Charge " composition (p. 48) may replace 

 plaster of Paris ; or we may apply a cotton wadding bandage (p. 

 45). A month after the accident we may stimulate the part once 



