THE SKELETON. 411 



to it, and connected with a band passed round the neck, 

 at the same time pressure inwards is brought to bear on 

 the displaced bone, which will probably easily slip back 

 into its position. The limb should be kept forwards by 

 tying the hobble rope to the neck band, and a blister may 

 be applied over the stifle to excite effusion as a means of 

 retention, for sometimes this dislocation is recurrent, and 

 the patella, constantly passing out of and into position, 

 causes absorption of the outer ridge of the femur, and still 

 further aggravates the case, and renders it incurable. 

 The immediate causes are slipping of the limb backwards, 

 as into a ditch, and want of tone of the surrounding 

 muscles. It is said to be most frequent in mountainous 

 districts. 





