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CHAPTER VIII. 
ACCIDENTS— FRACTURED BONES, WOUNDS, 
SPRAINS OF JOINTS AND TENDONS. 
IT will be well, before pursuing a study of this chapter, 
to go over very carefully the chapter on Wounds in 
Part 11. 
I. — Fractured Bones. 
Fractures occur in various ways, from the kick of a horse, 
getting caught on a fence while jumping, falling, being 
chased by dogs, or being struck with anything hard enough 
to fracture a bone. As a rule, when the fracture is so bad 
that the bone is shattered, or a piece of the bone penetrates 
the skin, it is best to destroy the animal. If fat enough it 
makes good beef, provided it is killed in time. 
1. Fracture of the Lower Jaw. 
This is a fracture that generally occurs from a kick or a 
blow of some kind. It is first noticed by the animal not being 
able to eat, and the mouth seeming crooked. It is recom- 
mended in cases of this kind to set the jaw in place, and have 
it held there with wire fastened around the teeth in the jaw. 
This can be done better if it is the front of the jaw that is 
fractured. Feed soft food, such as gruels, that the animal can 
drink down. If fit to kill it is best, however, to butcher it. 
2. Broken Neck. 
To show how simple this may occur we relate a case that 
came under our own personal observation. A cow that had 
been kept in the stable during the winter and fed well was let 
out one day by the owner, and she, feeling good, was playing 
about when the dog was put after her. While running away 
from the dog she kicked up her hind feet and lowered her 
head. In doing this she caught her nose on the ground, which 
threw her over onto her head and neck. We heard the bone 
snap, and by the time we got to her she was dead. On 
examining her we found that one of the bones of the neck 
was broken in the fall, which caused her death instantly. In 
