FKACTURES-DISLOCATIONS. 507 



excepting in the legs or ribs, little relief can be afforded by- 

 art. They are detected by the deformity which is seen in the 

 part, an angle being presented in the interval between two joints, 

 when occurring in the limb, and a crepitus or crackling being 

 heard and felt on handling the part. When the ribs have been 

 broken, the injury is easily detected by the depression which 

 is felt, and the grating sound often produced in breathing. 

 In this case a flannel bandage may be bound tightly round 

 the chest, and the dog, after being bled, should be kept quiet, 

 and fed on low diet. A horse-girth, passed twice or thrice 

 round and buckled answers the purpose pretty well, but is not 

 equal to a well-applied bandage. Fractures of the limbs may 

 be set by extending the broken ends, and then carefully apply- 

 ing wooden or gutta percha splints lined with two or three 

 thicknesses of coarse flannel; they are bound round with tapes 

 and tied, and kept on till the end of three weeks or a month, 

 re-applying them if necessary. This, however, requires some 

 practical experience to perform properly. If there is much local 

 injury, it is better to apply the splints very loosely for the 

 first week, keeping the whole wrapped in folds of linen dipped 

 in the lotion (53). In all cases the dog must be strictly kept 

 to his kennel, and the limbs should not be strained by allowing 

 him to jump up and down on a bench, a low bed being provided. 

 In five or six weeks the thigh or hind leg is united, and the fore 

 leg in three weeks or a month. 



Dislocations occur in the shoulder and elbow very rarely, in 

 the knee and toes commonly, in the hip very often, in the stifle 

 occasionally, and in the hock very seldom, except in connection 

 with fracture. In all cases, they are detected by the deformity 

 occurring in any of these joints, which is not capable of restora^ 

 tion by gentle handling, and is not accompanied by the crepitus 



