FRACTURE OF THE TIBIA. 
191 
with another from a railway station, when about half a mile 
from his master's stables, the one he was riding kicked and 
struck the other, which fell and rolled over, but scrambled up 
almost directly. He then stood, as I then saw him, on three 
legs, and was consequently with difficulty got to his box. 
On watching the animal I noticed the peculiar darting 
and rotatory motion usually met with in fracture of the ex- 
tremities. I also heard once a distinct clicking sound, which, 
I have little doubt, was caused by muscular action on 
the edges of the broken bone. In manipulating the limb, on 
the inside of the thigh, half way between the hock and stifle, 
I found a small abrasion, about an inch in length, but not 
skin deep ; it had probably been caused by the shoe of the 
horse which kicked him. 
The bone at this part being but slightly covered, I was 
able, after very careful examination, to detect what felt like 
a slight ridge running down the length of the bone ; this, 
together with the other symptoms, led me to the conclusion 
that I had a longitudinal fracture, with slight displacement 
of the tibia, to deal with. 
The fibula I could not feel, and, considering that five hours 
had elapsed from the time of the accident to the time of my 
seeing the case, this is not surprising ; but I imagine that it 
was not in any way injured. 
The animal could not bear any weight on the limb, 
although he could draw it upwards towards the belly, when 
it was lifted during the necessary examination. 
There was, comparatively speaking, very little swelling; 
but much, indeed almost constant, twitching of the muscles 
inside the thigh. 
When the owner was told my opinion of the case he at 
once said th^t he would have the poor beast destroyed ; but 
on my asking him to give the horse to me, as I should like 
to see what could be done in the way of treatment, he asked 
me to do so at his expense. This I considered very liberal, 
as I had previously explained that the horse would have to be 
kept in slings for at least two months, to ensure the quietude 
which was necessary to the uniting of the bone, no matter 
how well the patient might do ; and that, supposing nothing 
like a false joint formed and the bone did unite, the leg 
might very likely be shortened, and thus cause the horse to 
limp in his gait, and render him useless for the work required 
of him. 
Having had the horse removed in a van to the hospital, and 
put into slings in a large and airy box, I proceeded to apply a 
paste bandage to the limb, that is to say, from the fetlock to 
