222 The Diseases of Animals 
to conform to the leg, and either be bound on with 
bandages or welded to the shoe, the upper end being 
held in position with bandages. After splints are ap- 
plied to a fracture, they should be carefully watched, 
to see that they do not “cord” the part, shutting off 
the circulation below. Chafing of the part or loosening 
of the splints is to be guarded against. Should these 
conditions occur, the splint or cast should be removed 
and another applied. After the splints are applied the 
animal must be kept as quiet as possible. If it is a 
horse, and kept in the standing position, slings or 
“lean-tos” should be supplied, to rest the animal. If 
the animal is lying down it should be well protected 
by bedding, to prevent the forming of bed-sores. 
Plenty of nutritious, laxative food, especially bran 
for the larger animals and milk and meat for the 
smaller, should be supplied, as these furnish an abun- 
dance of the mineral substances which are important 
in preventing disease and in repairing injuries of 
bone. 
A jelly-like substance exudes from the broken ends 
of bone. This soon turns into gristle and forms a 
callus around the broken parts, and finally turns into 
bone and firmly welds the parts together, if they are 
brought into contact. If the bone has been well set 
in its normal position, the callus becomes absorbed 
and disappears, and scarcely a trace remains to show 
the place of the fracture. Sometimes, in setting a 
fracture, the bones are not replaced in their normal 
position, and, as a result, the leg may be shortened 
or somewhat crooked, causing the animal to limp. 
