Special Injuries of Bodies, Joints and Muscles. 32'i 



fRAC'TURE OF THE SPINOUS PROCESSES OF BACK AJSfD LOINS. 



This is detected by the mobility, with or withotit grating 

 of tiie spiues implicated. If comminuted the splinters 

 should be extracted ; if simple, replace them and retain by 

 a pitch plaster on each side, or with a saddle having a 

 high tree and plenty of padding at the sides to support 

 the fractured bone. 



SPRAINS OF THE BACK OR LOINS. 



There is inability to back, above all when mounted, or 

 to turn quickly in a circle, tenderness at a given spot on 

 pinching along the back, drooping when mounted, and 

 difficulty in urination from the pain attendant on curving 

 the back. It has come on suddenly after slipping, falling, 

 bearing a heavy weight, etc., and is independent of fever. 

 It is distinguished from partial paraplegia by the per- 

 fect sensiition in the hind parts, by the absence ol 

 any change in their temperature as compared with the 

 rest of the body, and by the retention of perfect sensation 

 and motion in the tail. 



Treatment. Place in a narrow stall in which the patient 

 cannot turn his body or even his neck; apply slings to 

 prevent any attempt at lying down ; foment with warm 

 water if there is much pain ; when that has subsided, 

 blister. It is all-important to give laxative diet, and to 

 correct any costiveness or other impairment of the general 

 health. 



TRANSVERSE FRACTURE OF BACK OR LOINS. 



This occurs suddenly from an evident cause, such as 

 blipping, over-weighting, a wrong step, or struggling when 

 cast for an operation. If displacement has not taken 

 place there is an exaggerated manifestation of the same 

 symptoms as in sprained back, but if the bones are dis- 

 placed, or when the resulting inflammation and swelling 

 have produced pressure on the spinal cord, there is para- 

 plegia, coldness of the body behind the seat of fracture 



