DOGS : THEIE MANAGEMENT. 447 



The remaining slip is fixed to the side of the limb. After 



the pliable gutta percha has been forced to assume the 



shape desired, it is the practice of the writer to cover it 



with a cloth saturated in cold spring water, to hasten the 



setting of the material, and thereby shorten a process 



which always renders the dog somewhat uneasy. All 



this accomplished, he nest braces the splints together, 



and fixes them upon the limb, by means of a long piece 



of tape ; putting under them, next to the skin of the 



animal, a quantity of lint to prevent the gutta percha 



from irritating the flesh. The tapes he also runs through 



the holes previously made, and winds about the limb, or 



over the splints — rather, but not too tightly in the first 



instance — with the intent of arousing the restorative 



amount of inflammation. This quantity of inflammation, 



the reader may imagine, would be certain to ensue on so 



violent an injury as the separation of the hard supports 



of the body ; but in this he is mistaken. I have known 



a favorite hound to break at once the four metatarsal 



bones, and though the splints necessary to promote a 



union were kept on above two months, nothing of the 



kind took place ; at the end of which time all bandages 



were removed, and his movements eifected the cure 



which my appliances were unable to bring about. Some 



persons even advocate taking off all bandages from a 



broken leg, and sending the dog for a walk, where union 



is tardy ; but people who use such language talk about 



that, concerning which they literally know nothing. It 



is not one walk which will produce the desired effect ; but 



