ACCIDENTS AND OPERATIONS. 343 



and without other injury. The latter may be transverse, 

 oblique, or longitudinal. 



In young animals, partial or incomplete fracture, i.e., when 

 the outside of the bone splits away similar to a tough twig 

 when bent to break, is occasionally met with (Fig. 34). This, 

 in human surgery, is termed green-stick fracture, an illustra- 

 tion of which I once had in one of my children, by falling 

 from the "back of a pony on to his hand, and fracturing the 

 radius in the manner described. 



Fracture without separation, is when a bone is starred, as 

 it were, and held together by the periosteum ; it is rare in the 

 dog, though common in the horse. 



The long bones are those most liable to fracture, more 

 especially those of the extremities. Fracture of the scapula- 

 pelvis, ribs, cranium, and vertebrae are occasionally met with in 

 the dog, and therefore demand notice in these pages. 



In the human being there are various predisposing causes 

 of fracture. In the dog they are inv^ariably the result of di- 

 rect violence. The usual symptoms of limb-fracture are — 

 deformity, loss of muscular power, pain, swelling, and crepi- 

 tus. The reparative process in the dog is remarkably rapid, 

 and, as a rule, when the parts are^placed in situ and the 

 splints applied, the animal seems to understand the injured 

 limb is not to be interfered with, and is contented to remain 

 quiet. 



The treatment of fracture consists in reducing the sepa 

 rated portions to their proper position and maintaining them 

 there when so reduced by the application of splints and 

 bandages. 



Splints may be composed of wood, pasteboard, leather, or 

 guttapercha. The three first-named are retained in position 

 by bandaging. The latter is -rendered soft with 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 



