bones: diseases and accidents. 277 



which will cause the patient to evince acute pain. In this case no 

 appliance can be used to advantage. The animal should be tied in a 

 stall until the parts become reunited and the lameness disappears. 



Fracture of the posterior part of the bone (ischium) which forms 

 the point of the buttocks occasionally occurs. The buttock on the 

 injured side will be less prominent than the other. Careful manipu- 

 lation will generally move the parts so that crepitus may be recog- 

 nized. If the fracture is through the posterior part of the bone, it is 

 unimportant and deserving of no more attention than placing the 

 animal in such a position as to insure it against subsequent injury 

 until the bones are united. Some distortion is likely to result, but 

 not sufficient to warrant interference. 



Fracture through the body of the bone on a line with the hip joint 

 (acetabulum) occasionally, though rarely, occurs, and is nearly always 

 associated with dislocation of the hip joint and the forcing of the head 

 of the upper bone of the leg (femur) upward, far out of its place. 

 The violent contraction of powerful muscles of the hip renders it 

 impossible to reduce the dislocation, and even if it were possible the 

 fractured pelvis could not be held in position, so that the case becomes 

 at once a hopeless one. It may be recognized by the animal stand- 

 ing on three legs, the leg on the injured side seeming shorter than 

 its fellow and hanging pendulous, the muscles of the hip violently 

 contracted and hard to the touch. The animal evinces great pain 

 when the limb is moved. There is likely to be some apparent distor- 

 tion in the relations between the point of the hip and the point of the 

 buttock. This will be more readily noticed by comparing the injured 

 side with the other. The parts may be moved so as to produce 

 crepitus. The examination may be completed by introducing the 

 oiled hand into the vagina or rectum, when the two sides of the pelvis 

 will reveal well-marked differences. 



Fracture of the point op the hip. — The anterior and external 

 part of the pelvis (ilium), commonly known as the point of the hip, 

 is liable to fracture, which stock owners describe as "hipping," or 

 being "hipped," or having the hip "knocked down." This accident 

 is likely to be the result of crowding while passing through a narrow 

 door, of falling violently on the point of the hip, or from a violent 

 blow directed downward and forward against it. The lesion generally 

 extends across the flat surface of the bone from its outer and posterior 

 edge forward and inward. Distortion is likely to be the only notice- 

 able symptom. The detached portion varies in size in different 

 cases and with it the resulting deformity. The animal is noticed to 

 be slightly lame, but this symptom soon disappears. The detached 

 portion of the bone is drawn downward and away from the main part 

 by the action of the muscles below, which are so powerful as to render 

 return impossible. .The bones therefore remain permanently sepa- 

 rated, union taking place by fibrous callus. The animal suffers very 



