303 



for small animals. Dextrine mixed, while warm, with burnt alum and 

 alcohol cools and solidities into a stony consistency, and is preferable to 

 plaster of Paris, which Is less friable and has less solidity, besides being 

 heavier and requiring constant additions as it becomes older. Starch 

 and plaster of Paris form another good compound. 



In applying the dressing the leg is usually padded with a cushion of 

 oakum, thick and soft enough to equalize the irregularities of the sur- 

 face and to form a bedding for the protection of the skin from chafing. 

 Over this the splints are placed. The material for these is, variously, 

 pasteboard, thin wood, bark, laths, gutta percha, strips of thin metal, 

 as tin or perhaps sheet iron. These should be of sufficient length not 

 only to cover the region of the fracture, but to extend sufficiently 

 above and below to render the immobility more complete than in the 

 surrounding joints. The splints, again, are covered with cloth ban- 

 dages, linen i^referably, soaked in a glutinous moisture. These ban- 

 dages are to be carefully applied, with a perfect condition of lightness. 

 They are usually made to embrace the entire length of the leg, in order 

 to avoid the possibility of interference with the circulation of the ex- 

 tremity, as well as for the prevention of chafing. They should be rolled 

 from the lower part of the leg upwards, aud carefully secured against 

 loosening. In some instances suspensory bandages are recommended, 

 but excepting for small animals our experience does not justify a con- 

 currence in the recommendation. 



These permanent dressings always need careful watching with refer- 

 ence to their immediate effect upon the region they cover, especially 

 during the first days succeeding that of their application. Any mani- 

 festation of pain, or any appearance of swelhng above or below, or any 

 odor suggestive of suppuration should excite suspicion, and a thorough 

 investigation should follow without delay. TLe removal of the dress- 

 ing should be performed with great care, aud especially so if time enough 

 has elapsed since its application to allow of a probability of a com- 

 mencement of the healing process or the existence of any points of con- 

 solidation. With the original dressing properly applied in its entirety 

 in the first instance, the entire extremity will have lost all chance of 

 mobility, and the repairing process may be permitted to proceed without 

 interference. There will be no necessity and there need be no haste for 

 removal or change except under such special conditions as have just 

 been mentioned, or when there is reason to judge that solidification has 

 become perfect, or for the comfort of the animal, or for its readaptatiou 

 in consequence of the atrophy of the limb from want of use. Owners 

 of animals are often tempted to remove a splint or bandage prema- 

 turely at the risk of in-oducing a second fracture in consequence of the 

 failure of the callus properly to consolidate. 



The method of applying the splints which we have described refers 

 to the simple variety only. In a compound case the same rules must 

 be observed, with the modification of leaving openings through the 



