The Osseous System 339 



fractures through the cervix entirely within the capsular ligament 

 are incapable of ossific reunion. He ascribed this deficiency to the 

 feebleness of ossific action in the heads of long bones and to the 

 fact that the trochanter was much drawn up by muscular action so 

 that the head and cervix were not in apposition. Where the experi- 

 mental fracture continued compound the head of the bone became 

 absorbed or discharged by ulceration. By way of contrast he di- 

 vided the bone external to the capsule in five dogs and all healed 

 by ossific union, as was also the case in longitudinal fracture. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. Dislocation of the hip-joint 

 has been mistaken for fracture through the neck. In both 

 accidents the leg is seen to be shorter than its fellow. In 

 fracture through the neck this is due to muscular action drawing 

 up the trochanter, and it is to be distinguished from dislocation by 

 greater mobility of the leg. In fracture of the lower third the stifle 

 is held fixed with the leg pointing backward, and with the foot 

 raised from the ground. Such accidents are apt to result per- 

 manently in more or less lameness owing to distorted reunion or 

 changes in the relationship of the fractures composing the stifle- 

 joint. 



Treatment. The German and English methods of treatment 

 of shaft fractures are the same as for the upper bones of the fore- 

 leg, viz., by means of the saddle bandage and pitch plaster, respec- 

 tively. French veterinarians use strips of bandaging material which 

 are wound round the parts and coated with pitch. 



Where there is much overriding and consequent risk of pseu- 

 darthrodic formation bone suturing should be undertaken, the in- 

 cision being made on the inner aspect of the leg with due regard 

 to the position of the femoral vessels. Felizet treated a dog suffer- 

 ing from a fracture of the neck of the femur by strapping the animal 

 to a board. In twelve days consolidation had taken place. 



As a rule, fractures of the femur heal kindly, and some ap- 

 parently hopeless cases of fracture near the neck will entirely re- 

 cover without any treatment whatever. 



The Patella. This bone being small in the dog is rarely frac- 

 tured. Sir Astley Cooper's experiments on this bone show to what 

 extent recovery may be expected. He was unable to produce bony 

 reunion in transverse fractures, even when the rectus femoris was 

 divided just above. In longitudinal fractures there followed com- 



