DISEASES OP BONES 169 



broken parts being besides tbis braced by stays or splints of 

 binder's board, wood, or in tbe borse, band iron, sncb as is 

 used in barrel boops, beld in place by tbe flannel bandage. 

 Sucb a part is now kept moist witb evaporating lotions until 

 tbe cedematous state bas disappeared, enabling one to apply a 

 permanent dressing at tbe end of tbe tbird to tbe fiftb day of 

 sucb treatment. 



What precautions do you take in applying a plaster of parts 

 dressing ? 



1. Apply tbe plaster bandage uniformly and not too 

 tigbtly. 



2. "Watcb tbe skin and parts at tbe lower end of tbe 

 plaster dressing for any swelling ; wben tbis sbows — in otber 

 words, wben oedema of tbe lower parts occurs — ease tbe dress- 

 ing, in case of a temporary one, or remove it and apply a new 

 one in case of a permanent dressing. 



3. In dogs, it is essential to apply a cotton padding to all 

 projecting parts to be covered witb tbe plaster dressing, as 

 tbe pressure continuously applied to tbe skin by the dressing 

 would lead to gangrene and constitutional disturbances. 

 Should necrosis of tbe skin really set in, treat tbe parts anti- 

 septically. 



4. Immobilization of the fractured bone being a requisite, 

 envelop the joints above and below the point of fracture with 

 the dressing wherever possible, Tbe shape of certain parts 

 renders it very difficult to securely apply a plaster dressing, 

 as, for instance, in the forearm or thigh, tbe dressing here 

 having a tendency to slip down ; in these instances, run tbe 

 plaster bandage over the back, forming a saddle, so to speak, 

 this latter holding the dressing in place, preventing it from 

 slipping. 



