FRACTURES OF THE BONES. 295 



Period of the Process of Union in Fractured Bones. The 

 time required to obtain complete union of a fracture — that is to 

 say, until the animal can use the part without any pain or diffi- 

 culty — depends largely on the size and position of the bone, the 

 age of the animal, and the amount of use the patient makes of it. 

 According to the observations of the author and others, in fractures 

 in which the periosteum is not torn, or simple fractures of the 

 large bones containing marrow, the time is from eighteen to twenty- 

 four days in adult healthy animals. Fractures of the ribs unite 

 in from ten to fifteen days; in metacarpal and metatarsal bones, 

 ten to eighteen days. In young animals the process is a few days 

 shorter; in very old animals it is much longer. After the union of 

 the fracture, as a rule, the affected leg is not used with as great 

 freedom as it was before. This is especially noticeable in young 

 animals that are growing. Very often there is a subsequent 

 atrophy and impaired development of the muscles of that part. 

 While this may be due to a certain extent to the inactivity of the 

 muscles when tied up in the splint, and also to pressure of the 

 dressing, it is often noticed after the dressing is removed, and 

 sometimes for weeks afterward the animal walks stiff or is even 

 lame. 



Therapeutic Treatment. In simple fractures the treatment 

 consists of returning the broken ends of the bone to their proper 

 anatomical position, and holding them in position. 



The bringing together of the fractured ends of the bones must 

 be done as soon as possible, and it is accomplished by pulling or 

 extending them in a longitudinal direction until the fractured ends 

 fit together. In some instances where the tissue is loose they have 

 to be pressed back in their normal position. The animal should 

 be held by an assistant while the operator manipulates the ends 

 into position. In cases where there is extreme pain and in order 

 to keep the animal from struggling, it is advisable to etherize. In 

 such cases as fractures of the metacarpal bones, bones of the face, 

 etc., a reduction can be made without an assistant. When the 

 bones have been placed in position as near as possible to their 

 normal shape, we must then apply a dressing which will keep the 

 fractured ends in their proper position until they have united. 



The best dressing for fractures in dogs are those which dry 

 rapidly, such as plaster and silicate of sodium solution. In some 



