FRACTURES OF HIP BONES. 317 



doubtless been observed by the extensive cattle breeders of the West, 

 and their practice and example fully establish the inutility of inter- 

 ference. Still, cases may occur in which reduction may be indicated, 

 and it then becomes a matter of no difficulty. It is effected by the 

 introduction of a round, smooth piece of wood into the rectum as 

 far as the fragment of bone and using it as a lever, resting upon 

 another as a fulcrum placed under it outside. The bone, having been 

 thus returned, may be kept in place by the ordinary external means 

 in use. 



The OS innominatum. — Fractures of the ilium may be observed 

 either at the angle of the hip or at the neck of the bone ; those of the 

 pubes may take place at the symphysis, or in the body of the bone ; 

 those of the ischium on the floor of the bone, or at its posterior ex- 

 ternal angle. Or, again, the fracture may involve all three of these 

 constituent parts of the hip bone by having its situation in the articu- 

 lar cavity — the acetabulum by which it joins the femur or thigh bone. 



Symptoms. — Some of these fractures are easily recognized, wliile 

 others are difficult to identify. The ordinary deformity which char- 

 acterizes a fracture of the external angle of the ilium, its drGp})ing 

 and the diminution of that side of the hip in width, unite in indica- 

 ting the existence of the condition expressed by the term " hipped." 

 But an incomplete fracture, or one that is complete without displace- 

 ment, or even one with displacement, often demands the closest scru- 

 tiny for its discovery. The lameness may be well marked, and an 

 animal may show but little appearance of it while walking, but upon 

 being urged into a trot will manifest it more and more, until pres- 

 ently he will cease to use the crippled limb altogether, and perform 

 his traveling entirely on three legs. The acute character of the lame- 

 ness will vary in degree as the seat of the lesion approximates the 

 acetabulum. In walking, the motion at the hip is very limited, and 

 the leg is dragged ; while at rest it is relieved from bearing its share 

 in sustaining the body. An intelligent opinion and correct conclu- 

 sion will depend largely upon a knowledge of the history of the case, 

 and while in some instances that will be but a report of the common 

 etiology of fractures, such as blows, hurts, and other external vio- 

 lence, the simple fact of a fall may furnish in a single word a satis- 

 factory solution of the whole matter. 



With the exception of the deformity of the ilium in a fracture of 

 its external angle, and unless there has been a serious laceration of 

 tissues and infiltration of blood, or excessive displacement, there are 

 no very definite external symptoms in a case of a fracture of the hip 

 bone. There is one, however, which, in a majority of cases, will not 

 fail — it is crepitation. This evidence is attainable by both external 

 and internal examination — by manipulation of the gluteal surface 

 and by rectal taxis. Very often a lateral motion, or balancing of the 

 hinder parts by W^^^iB^^li^HpivlhfSkSm ^'^^ *° *^® °*^^''' ^'" ^^ 



