Special Injuries of Bones, Joints and Muscles. 443 



care/vEy witli tlie aid of a block and tackle ; meanwliile 

 the operator, seizing hock and stifle, must turn the upper 

 part of the limb in a direction opposite to the displace- 

 ment. 11 forward the hock is raised and the stifle de- 

 pressed; if backward the stifle is raised and the hock 

 depressed ; if imvard a smooth round biUet of wood is to 

 be placed between the thighs to act as a fulcrum upon 

 which the limb is depressed when sufficiently stretched; 

 if outward the lower part of the limb must be drawn out- 

 ward and upward, while weight is thrown on the thigh- 

 bone ; or by movements of the limb it may be changed to 

 a dislocation forward and reduced from that position. It 

 may be necessary to relax the muscles by a full dose of 

 chloral -hydrate before attempting to reduce. When re- 

 duced, the head of the bone slips in with a jerk and an 

 audible sound, and the limb assumes its natural position. 

 The animal may then be let up, and should be kept quiet 

 and alone for several days. These cases do far better 

 than could be expected from the anatomical arrangements 

 of the part. 



FBACTUEE OF THE NECK OF THE THIGH-BONE. 



This is not uncommon in small animals, especially dogs, 

 but very rare indeed in the large quadrupeds. It is marked 

 by shortening of the Umb, inabihty to use it, and grating 

 when it is moved. If the finger or hand is passed into the 

 rectum and pressed against the crest above the hip- 

 joiut, while an assistant draws the Hmb outward, the 

 promiaence of the head of the thigh-bone may be felt 

 above the crest. This can only occur in two other 

 conditions ; — fracture of the outer lim of the cup receiv- 

 ing the head of the thigh-bone, and outward dislocation 

 of the hip-joint without fracture. The latter may be dis 

 tinguished by the absence of grating, while the first is aa 

 serious as the fracture of the neck of the bone. 



Treatment is useless ia the large quadrupeds, but in the 

 small, a firm retentive starch bandage for the whole limb 

 wDl often secure recovery. 



