FRACTURES. 445, 
.) 
published many observations. Some cases have also been recorded of 
fractures of the femoral head, of the inferior articular apophysis (Stock- 
fleth, Moller), trochanter, subtrochanterian tuberosity.’ 
Except in this last instance, whatever is the seat of the fracture, there 
is no economy in trying to treat them in large animals. Reduction is 
- difficult, on account of the great muscular force to overcome, and conten- 
tion is nearly impossible. With few exceptions, consolidation cannot take - 
. place without a large callus, a shortening of the leg or a permanent lame- 
ness. Rey has, however, seen a horse in which a fracture of the femur 
_ had united spontaneously. Bassini has obtained the recovery of a fracture 
of the neck (?) in a bull; the thigh was enveloped in a supporting ban- 
dage and the animal left loose. Four months atter the accident, the 
animal stood nearly plumb, and was able to work with its leg in normal 
position.’ 
In small animals, fractures of the femur unite readily. On more than 
20 dogs, Lafosse has always obtained union, with either pitched bandages 
or by only expectation. We have used a bandage of pitch:on the hip, 
the external face of the thigh and of the shank, and have obtained a 
recovery in a month. Delwart recommends, when the coaptation is’ 
once made, to pass under the groin bands which cross each other over - 
the thigh and secured on the,summit of the croup, while others are fixed. 
on the external face of the thigh and leg. 
Beaufils has recommended the same bandage as for fractures of the 
humerus. The animal kept standing, the operator with one hand pushes 
the stifle of the fractured leg toward the flank, while with the other he 
raises the thigh, in order to bring the broken bone parallel to the great 
axis of the body; turns of rollers, starting from the injured thigh, are 
passed all round the body, until it is well immobilized; then the other 
parts of the leg are flexed and supported with more rollers; finally, to: 
prevent the apparatus from slipping backwards toward the tail, two bands.. 
covered with pitch are applied over the whole length of the croup. 
Felizet has invented a singular mode of contention. The animal,.. 
laid on a board covered with straw or hay, is secured with turns of rollers, 
- passing several times round the body and the semi-flexed legs, and after- - 
- wards secured to the board by means of points nailed in the board. A. 
: dog with fracture of the neck of the femur, treated in this manner, was. 
let loose.twelve days after “with his femur entirely and regularly con- 
‘solidated,” but a goat and two cows died in a few days. This method. 
1 A fracture of the internal lip of the trochlea of the femur is recorded by T. Wal-- 
rath in which the bony hard edges of the fractured portion, as well as the base of the - 
trochlea, has been removed by absorption.—Amer. Vet. Review, vol. 10, p. 78. 
2 Furlanetto, Prog. Vet., 1890, p. 362. 
