CHAPTER VI. 
ACCIDENTS. 
OR general treatment of wounds, refer to Part II., 
where these matters are fully dealt with. 
1. Broken Legs. 
Causes. — The apparently stupid characteristic possessed 
by sheep generally of lying upon the road and remaining thus 
until run over and injured is well known to all. The fact, 
probably not so well known, that gravel retains the heat ob- 
tained from the sun during the day much longer than the 
adjoining grass accounts for this. The grass becoming cool 
much more quickly soon causes a collection of dampness in 
the form of dew, making it a much less comfortable bed. 
Treatment. — Should the fracture be so severe that points 
of the splintered bone pierce the skin, it is better to kill it 
at once and make use of the skin and carcass. There may be 
a desire, however, because of its value to save it. This may 
be done if the sheep be young and the chances are greater if 
in good physical condition and the fracture slight. 
Set the bones to their proper position. Prepare a starch 
bandage as follows: Saturate a long strip of cotton a couf)Je 
of inches wide in a fairly thick starch paste. Pull this strip 
between the fingers and in this manner squeeze from it as 
much of the starch as possible. It hardens more quickly and 
will contain quite sufficient for the purpose. 
Apply this strip as a bandage, winding it fairly tight 
around the broken portion of the leg, being sure to have the 
bones in proper position. When this is done the leg must be 
kept in position until the bandage has hardened, after which 
it holds the broken bones in position. Allow it to remain 
thus for a month or six weeks, during which time the sheep 
must be kept as quiet as possible. 
Examine the leg frequently and should it irritate the leg 
or be wound too tight, it vShould be changed. Remove it by 
cutting it ofif as soon as the leg is being used naturally. 
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