372 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 
hot water and moulded to the limb. Bandages take the 
place of splints when soaked in gum, starch, or plaster of 
Paris. . 
With regard to fracture of the long bones of the limbs, I 
have found no application equal to the wooden splint. We 
will suppose a case of fractured ulna or radius. The fractured 
edges being reduced to their relative position, and the limb 
held firmly in a straight line downwards, the splints, cut the 
length required (I always take them below the knee-joint 
to the foot), are applied as follows: one in front, one behind, 
and one on either side. The surface is smeared with pitch 
to maintain them better in position. A little pad of tow or 
cotton wool should be placed under the ends of the splints, 
to prevent irritation and wounds. Being thus satisfactorily 
arranged, a narrow bandage of calico is wound round, 
moderately tight, from end to end, smeared o¢casionally in 
its course with pitch. This done, the patient should be 
conveyed to where he is to remain: and to prevent risk, it 
is better to place a wire muzzle on for the first few days, or 
at all events until the parts have become firm. 
The same treatment will apply to comminuted fracture. 
A black retriever dog was brought to me, suffering from 
double fracture of the femur, the fractures being some dis- 
’ tance apart; a bull and mastiff, aged, with fracture of the, 
femur in three distinct places. Both were treated with 
splint-setting, and recovered perfectly, without any defor- 
mity or perceptible thickening, except on manipulation. 
Fracture of a toe bone is an accident net uncommon to 
greyhounds when coursing, and is usually produced at the 
instant of making a sharp turn. Such fractures are easily 
set, but if not dealt with early they may be of serious 
moment to the animal and the interests of his owner. 
I usually apply lateral adhesive splints to the broken toe, 
and then spread the foot on a broad splint extending a 
little beyond the claws. The whole is then bandaged up, 
and the patient kept perfectly quiet for at least a fortnight. 
