4 14 FRACTURES. 



it appeared on examination, that there was a simple horizontal fracture of the 

 whole of the os calcis about the middle. A splint was contrived so as to reach 

 from the middle of the tibia to that of the cannon bone, and this was applied to 

 the front of the leg, keeping the hock from its usual motion, and relaxing the 

 muscles inserted into the os calcis. Underneath this splint a charge was applied 

 about the part, in order to form a level surface for the splint to rest upon. The 

 whole was bound together by proper adhesive bandages, and he was ordered to be 

 kept quiet in the stable, but not to be slung. In about two months the hock 

 was fired and became perfectly sound *. 



Fracture of the cannon or shank bone. — This is of more frequent 

 occurrence than that of any other bone, on account of the length of the leg, and 

 the danger to which it is exposed. There is rarely any difficulty in detecting its 

 situation, but there is sometimes a great deal in bringing the divided edges of 

 the bone again into apposition. A kind of windlass, or a power equal to it, is 

 occasionally necessary to produce sufficient extension in order to effect the desired 

 purpose : but the divided edges being brought into apposition are retained there 

 l)y the force of the muscles above. Splints reaching from the foot to above the 

 knee should then be applied. The horse should be racked up during a fortnight, 

 after which, if the case is going on well, the animal may often be turned out. 



In cases of compound fracture the wounds should be carefully attended to : 

 but Mr. Percivall says that he knows one or two old practitioners, who are in the 

 habit of treating these cases in a very summary and generally successful manner. 

 They employ such common support, with splints and tow and bandages, as the 

 case seems to require, and then the animal with his leg bound up is turned out, 

 if the season permits ; otherwise he is placed in a yard or box, where there is- 

 not much straw to incommode his movements. The animal will take care not 

 to impose too much weight on his fractured limb; and, provided the parts are 

 well secured, nature will generally perform the rest t. 



Fractube op the sesamoid bones. — There are but two instances of this on 

 record. The first is related by Mr. Fuller of March. He was galloping steadily 

 and not rapidly a horse of his own, when the animal suddenly fell as if he had 

 been shot. He was broken down in both fore legs. The owner very humanely 

 ordered him to be immediately destroyed. Both the perforans and perforatus 

 tendons of the near fore leg were completely ruptured, just where they pass 

 over the sessamoid bone, which was fractured in a transverse direction. The 

 sessamoid bone of the off leg was fractured in the same direction, but the 

 tendons were entire J. 



The second case is one described by Mr. Harris of Preston. A strong coach- 

 like animal was gallopped rapidly. He had not gone more than a hundred 

 yards before he suddenly fell, and it was with great difficulty that he could be 

 led home, a distance of about two miles. There was soon considerable swelling 

 in the off fore leg — great pain on the animal's attempting to walk, and his fetlock 

 nearly touched the ground. Some slight crepitus could be detected, but the 

 exact seat of it could not be ascertained. Mr. Harris considered the case as 

 hopeless, but the owner would have some means tried to save the animal. He 

 was accordingly bled and physicked, and cold lotions and bandages were applied 

 to the foot. Two days afterwards some bony spicules began to protrude through 

 the skin, and, the case being now perfectly hopeless, the animal was destroyed. 

 The inner sessamoid bone was shivered to atoms §. 



Fracture of the upper pastern. — Thick and strong, and movable as this 

 bone seems to be, it is occasionally fractured. This has been the consequence of 



• Veterinarian, vol. iii. p. 69. + Veterinarian, vol. iii. p. 393. 



f Percivall 8 Hippopathology, vol. i. p. 269. § Veterinarian, vol. v. p. 375. 



