SPRAINS. 503 
‘the beginning of the disease, cooling applications are used (cold baths, 
“astringent compresses, continued irrigation) ; later, wet compresses or 
firing. In case of failure, neurotomy. (See Knuckling.) 
The digital region in working steers is frequently the seat of sprains; 
‘ordinarily it is limited to onetoe. It affects the articulations of the 
‘pastern with the corones, and of this one with the os pedis. During 
~walking, the animal carries the leg in abduction if the lesion exists on 
‘the external toe, and in adduction if it is the internal which is diseased 
(Furlanetto). Cooling and immobilization at first, later blistering and 
- ‘firing, are the indications. Satisfactory results are rare. 
The inferior interdigital ligament, which in didactyles prevents the 
“excessive separation of the toes, may be the seat of forced distensions. 
The animal must be left at rest, the toes bound together with bandages, 
sand cold baths given for several days. Recovery is ordinarily rapid. 
III. 
LUXATIONS. 
This term must be kept for the abnormal and permanent displace- 
‘ment of articular extremities. According to the degree of displacement 
luxations are complete when the articular surfaces have no longer any re- 
lation of contiguity and zzcomplete when the osseous extremities are still in 
relation to a certain extent. They are also divided into ¢raumatic, those 
‘that occur suddenly on a sound joint; consecutive, symptomatic or path- 
-glogical, those following an alteration pre-existing in the joint (dropsy, 
arthritis, tumors); congenital luxations are those which occur during 
‘foetal life. These two last varieties are without importance for the 
practitioner; they demand the killing of the animal. Alone, traumatic 
-duxations are interesting from the therapeutical point of view. Due to 
direct or indirect cause, they occur under the influence of traumatisms, 
‘slips, falls, or even by muscular contraction. 
Such displacements do not take place without lesions, which sometimes 
-areextensive; the synovial is torn; ligaments partly ruptured ; muscles 
stretched or torn ; cartilages bruised or crushed; frequently a fragment 
of bone is torn away by a ligament or a tendon; in some cases there 
is true fracture ; blood-vessels and peri-articular nerves are injured or 
torn. The communication of the synovial with the exterior and trau- 
matic arthritis are probable complications. 
" Three indications are predominant in the treatment of luxation: rst, 
reduce it; 2d, prevent its return; 3d, attend the complications. 
