416 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
‘with the animal species and the service to which they are used. Accord- 
ing to some authors, in the horse, fractures of the superior bones are more 
‘frequent than those of phalanges. Verlinde, in 42 cases of fractures 
observed in a _ regiment of Belgian cavalry, during 12 years, 
found only 1 of the coronet, 1 of the ossa suffraginis, 1 of the navicular > - 
bone, while in 21 cases the femur was the seat of the lesions. Out _ 
-of 159 cases of fractures of the extremities we have found: 5 cases of 
the scapulum, 13 of the humerus, 17 of the radius, 6 of the cubitus, 
3 of the carpal bone, 30 of the pelvis, 6 of the femur, 32 of the tibia, 
1 of the os calcis, 1 of the astragalus, 15 of the cannon, 24 of the first 
‘phalanx, 4 of the second, 2 of the third. 
As soon as a fracture is suspected, the diseased leg must be handled and 
‘manipulated with care. To discover the “abnormal motility ” or “the 
-crepitation,” extensive movements of the bony levers should be avoided, 
as they give rise to acute pains, sometimes to lacerations of the peri-bony 
tissues and of the skin, or to contractions followed by irreducible fragment- 
ary displacements, or again to vascular or nervous injuries. The examina- 
tion must be quick, complete, methodic and made with care. The 
deformity of the region, functional impotency, abnormal mobility; crepita- 
tion, acute pains, impose a diagnosis. Even in the absence of one or 
‘several of these symptoms, it can be made by the careful examination of 
the region. With fractures of the leg, it is often made by a glance. But 
‘with thick fleshy masses, as those of the arm or thigh, the diagnosis is 
more difficult, on account of their thickness, which interferes with the 
‘discovery of the essential symptoms. In the diagnosis of fractures of the 
‘pelvis, rectal exploration is rarely doubtful. 
Let us recall the possible mistake that can be made of some fractures with 
‘contusion, tendinous rupture, a sprain, a paralysis. But, in general, tlhe 
differential diagnosis is posed as follows: Is there a fracture or a dislocation? 
Methodic exploration of the wounded part, the location of the apophysis 
and the mobility, generally allow the solving of the problem. Abnormal 
mobility of fractures has a special character; it takes place in all direc- 
tions and ordinarily is about as much accused whether the lower part of 
the leg is carried in flexion or extension, abduction or adduction. That 
-of luxations is more limited ; abnormal movements are produced more or 
Jess marked in a given direction, they are impossible in others ; and again 
the leg left to itself is stiff, longer or shorter. When in fractures, reduc- 
tion is not kept up, the deformity returns at once. In Inxations, if it is 
‘more difficult, it is generally lasting. 
There is a great, a very great, difference between the importance offered 
in the treatment of fractures in veterinary and human surgery. For our 
large animals, the preservation of life is not sufficient; with few excep- 
