432 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
FRACTURES OF EXTREMITIES. 
I—Scapula. 
Lying obliquely on the lateral face of the thorax and protected by a 
muscular layer, the scapula is relatively little exposed to fractures. Falls 
and contusionsare-the most frequent causes. They occur on the acromion, 
one of the superior angles or the body of the bone and most commonly the 
neck. 
Fracture of the acromion is manifested by a circumscribed tumefaction, 
often very painful, situated a little below the middle part of the scapula. 
By the application of a pitch bandage or a blister, it is rare if consolida- 
tion takes place: often the broken portion of the bone necroses and acts 
as foreign body; an abscess forms: after a few days; punctured, it gives 
escape to a watery pus of bad nature; the fistula may cicatrize and re- 
appear later on. The observations of Hartenstein have shown the ineffi- 
cacy of caustic injections (Villate solution, tincture of iodine, sulfate of 
zinc), of continued irrigation and of cauterization. Enlarge the wound 
and extract the mortified bony piece are the indications. Antiseptic 
injections insure recovery in a short time. 
In fracture of one of the superior angles of the bone, there takes place, 
as in most cases of fracture of the olecranon and of the angle of the hip, 
a marked displacement, due to the contraction of the muscles attached 
on those angles. Reduction is impossible, but by blisterings and rest, 
recovery is easily obtained. The fragment becomes fixed in the place it 
has taken, the inflammatory phenomena subside, the lameness disappears. 
More serious are the fractures of the dody and of the neck. Most 
ordinarily the bone is divided transversely to its long axis, sometimes 
parallel to it, and then the glenoid cavity is generally involved. The 
prognosis is so much more serious that the fracture is more inferior. 
Pains are less acute and the separation of the edges of the fracture 
less accused when the injury involves the body of the bone. Great 
pain, excessive lameness, lancinating sufferings are bad‘omens. When 
the fracture is comminuted or intra-articular, arthritis and purulent 
infection may be looked for; yet, regular consolidation may occur, as 
shown by the cases of Delaporte and Plouvier. ‘Recovery, however, de- 
mands a long time: often the callus is very large, there is atrophy of the 
muscles and the lameness persists. Godine, Zundel, Schachinger, have 
obtained in horses recovery of the fracture of the neck. We have also 
treated with success a large draught horse of six years. Fracture above the 
neck unites easily in cattle. . 
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