bones: diseases and accidents. 26^ 



"wise so as to twist the back, or from slipping violently backward s( 

 that great stress is thrown on the loins. The patient moves witl 

 difficulty, using the hind parts in a guarded manner, as if afraid o: 

 causing severe pain. Occasionally, if the sprain is severe, the anima 

 will rise with difficulty. Pressure on the back in the immediate regioi 

 of the loins causes pain. Such cases may be mistaken for paralysis 

 and, in fact, in severe cases, during the early stages of the injm-y 

 although the nerve supply is not interfered with, the injury to thi 

 muscles and resulting pain is so great that the condition is almos 

 equal to paralysis, although liable to be attended with more favorabl 

 results. Hot applications, such as blankets wrung out of hot wate 

 and changed often, will be likely to afford relief during the earlie 

 stages. Afterward the blister mentioned for sprain of the shoulde 

 may be applied with advantage. 



FRACTURES (BROKEN BONES). 



Bones may be accidentally broken in many Mays and from differ 

 ent causes. Fractures in general ai'e liable to be produced by ex 

 ternal force suddenly and violently applied, either directly to thi 

 part or at a distance, the force being transmitted through thi 

 stronger bones until it expends itself by breaking a weaker one re 

 mote from the seat of the injury. Occasionally violent contr actio] 

 of muscles is sufficient to break a bone. Certain bones, those of th^ 

 limbs in particular, owing to their exposed position, are more liabL 

 to fracture than others. Owing to certain predisposing causes, sucl 

 as age, habit, or heriditary constitutional weakness, the bones o 

 some animals are more easily fractured than those of others. Th 

 bones of an animal advanced in years are more subject to fractur 

 because of the preponderance of inorganic matter rendering then 

 more brittle. They are also occasionally rendered liable to fractur 

 by a previously existing diseased condition. Fractures are dividec 

 into four classes — partial, simple, compound, and comminuted. 



Partial feactures. — Partial fractures are those which are liabl 

 to occur in a young animal in which the preponderance of anima 

 matter or the semicartilaginous condition of the bone renders i 

 tough, so that even when considerable force is applied the bon 

 bends, breaking on the side opposite that to which the force wa 

 applied, after the manner in which a green stick bends and breaks 



Simple fractures. — Simple fracture is one in which the bone i 

 severed in two parts, transversely, longitudinally, or obliquely, with 

 out serious injury to the adjoining structures. 



Compound fractures. — Compound fracture is one in which ther 

 is an open wound permitting the air to communicate with the end 

 of the broken bones. 



