404 FRACTURES. 



breaking away of the crust, to inflammation of the foot, and to sprain and injury 



of the pastern, and the fetlock, and the flexor tendon. 



These feet admit of little improvement. Shoeing as seldom as may be, and 

 with a light yet wide concave web ; little or no paring at the time of shoeing, 

 and as little violent work as possible, and especially on rough roads, may pro- 

 tract for a long period the evil day, but he who buys a horse with these feet 

 will sooner or later have cause to repent his bargain. 



CHAPTER XX. 

 FRACTURES. 



Accidents of this description are not of frequent occurrence, but when they 

 do happen it is not always that the mischief can be repaired : occasionally, how- 

 ever, and much more frequently than is generally imagined, the life of a valuable 

 animal might be saved if the owner, or the veterinary surgeon, would take a 

 little trouble, and the patient is fairly tractable, and that, in the majority of 

 cases, he will soon become. The number of valuable animals is far too great that 

 are destroyed under a confused notion of the difficulties of controlling the patient, 

 or the incurable character of the accident. Messrs. Blaine and Percivall have 

 given a valuable record of the usual cases and treatment of fracture which occur 

 in the practice of the English veterinary surgeon, and the splendid work of 

 Hurtrel d'Arboval contains a record of all that has been attempted or effected 

 on the Continent. The author of this volume must confine himself to a rapid 

 survey of that which they have described, adding a few cases that have been 

 brought under his own observation, or communicated to him by others. 



With the exception of accidents that occur in casting the animal for certain 

 operations, and his struggles during the operation, the causes of Fracture are 

 usually blows, kicks, or falls, and the lesion may be considered as simple, con- 

 fined to one bone, and not protruding through the skin — or compound, the bone 

 or bones protruding through the skin — or complicated, where the bone is broken or 

 splintered in more than one direction. The duty of the veterinary surgeon resolves 

 itself into the replacing of the displaced bones in their natural position, the keep- 

 ing of them in that position, the healing of the integument, and the taking of such 

 measures as will prevent any untoward circumstances from afterwards occurring. 

 In the greater number of cases of fracture it will be necessary to place the 

 horse under considerable restraint, and even to suspend or sling him. 



The cut in the next page contains a view of the suspensory apparatus used by 

 Mr. Percivall. A broad piece of sail-cloth, furnished with two breechings, and 

 two breast-girths, is placed under the animal's belly, and, by means of ropes and 

 pulleys attached to a cross beam above, he is elevated or lowered as circum- 

 stances may require. It will seldom be necessary to lift the patient quite off 

 the ground, and the horse will be quietest, and most at his ease, when his feet 

 are suffered just to touch it. The head is confined by two collar ropes, and the 

 head-stall well padded. Many horses may plunge about and be difficult to 

 manage at first, but, generally speaking, it is not long ere they become perfectly 

 passive. 



The use of the different buckles and straps which are attached to the sail- 

 cloth will be evident on inspection. If the horse exhibits more than usual 



