332 DISEASES OF THE HOBSE. 



the management of the counter extension, leaving to the operator the 

 free use of both hands for the further manipulation of the case. 



If the reduction of fractures in small animals is an easy task, how- 

 ever, it is far from being so when the patient is a large animal whose 

 muscular force is largely greater than that of several men com- 

 bined. In such case resort must be had not only to superior numbers 

 for the necessary force, but in many cases to mechanical aids. A 

 reference to the manner of proceeding in a case of fracture with 

 displacement of the forearm of a horse will illustrate the matter. 

 The patient is first to be carefully cast, on the uninjured side, with 

 ropes or- a broad, leather strap about 18 feet long passed under 

 and around his body and under the axilla of the fractured limb and 

 secured at a point opposite to the animal and toward his back. This 

 will form the mechanical means of counter extension. Another rope 

 will then be placed around the inferior part of the leg below the 

 point of fracture, with which to produce extension, and this will 

 sometimes be furnished with a block and pulleys, in order to aug- 

 ment the power when necessary; thex-e is, in fact, always an advan- 

 tage in their use, on the side of steadiness and uniformity, as well 

 as of increased power. It is secured around the fetlock or the 

 coronet or, what is better, above the knee and nearer the point of 

 fracture, and is committed to assistants. The traction on this should 

 be firm, uniform, and slow, without relaxing or jerking, while the 

 operator carefully watches the process. If the bone is superficially 

 situated he is able, by the eye, to judge of any changes that may 

 occur in the form or length of the parts under traction, and discov- 

 ering, at the moment of its happening, the restoration of symmetry 

 in the disturbed region he gently but firmly manipulates the place 

 until all appearance of severed continuity has " vanished. Some- 

 times the fact and the instant of restoration are indicated by a 

 peculiar sound or "click" as the ends of the bones slip into contact, 

 to await the next step of the restorative procedure. 



The process is the same when the bones are covered with thick 

 muscular masses except that it is attended with greater difficulties 

 from the fact that the finger must be substituted for the eye and 

 taxis must take the place of sight. 



It frequently happens that perfect coaptation is prevented by the 

 interposition, between the bony surfaces, of such substances as a 

 small fragment of detached bone or a clot of blood; sometimes the 

 extreme obliquity of the fracture, by permitting the bones to slip 

 out of place, is the opposing cause. These are difficulties which can 

 not always be overcome, even in small-sized animals, and still it is 

 only wTien they are mastered that a correct consolidation can be 

 looked for. Without it the continuity between the fragments will be 



