192 
FRACTURE OF THE TIBIA. 
the stifle, using* in the process about three pounds of paste, 
two sheets of brown paper, a roll of fine tow, and about forty 
yards of flannel bandage. This done, he was ordered to have 
a powerful sedative, together with a strong purgative — the 
main object being to allay pain and produce nausea, as I 
thought that these things would probably help in keeping the 
animal from moving his leg so much as he otherwise would 
do, and thus give the bandage a chance of becoming hard or 
set without displacement. A man was also ordered to remain 
with him to attend to anything which might be necessary. 
I should likewise mention that I examined the animal 
per rectum, but failed to discover any indication of injury to 
the pelvis. 
At ten o’clock p.m. the pulse was 60, the body warm, and 
the breathing tranquil. He had also eaten some warm 
mash. 
The following morning at eight o’clock the pulse was 52, 
and the body still warm. A great deal of jerking of the limb 
was present, which, however, on account of the stiffness of the 
bandage, could only be raised about an inch or so. 
The next day he did not appear to be in so much pain, and 
the spasmodic movement of the leg was less frequent. 
27th October (ten days after the accident). — No apparent 
change. The bandage has unfortunately slipped or worked 
its way down about a couple of inches ; but still the limb is 
so fixed that it can scarcely be moved. 
The notes in my memorandum-book continue as follows : 
4th November. — Pulse 35. Animal very restless. 
12th. — Can bear all his weight, or rather so much of it as 
is not supported by the sling, on the affected leg for a second 
or two, while he shifts the position of the other. Attendant 
ordered to carefully watch that the slings do not chafe or 
irritate the skin. 
27th. — A marked difference in the power of bearing 
weight on the leg. 
4th December. — Can now bear all his weight on the broken 
leg, whilst he rests the opposite one. Much wasting of muscles 
of the off quarter. 
9th. — Loosened the slings to see whether the horse could 
support himself if unassisted. He did so quite well for a 
couple of hours, resting his legs alternately. The slings were 
then tightened again. 
10th. — Finding the bandage in front of the hock dis- 
coloured, I removed the whole of it, and found a wound in 
the bend of the hock discharging rather offensive matter. 
11th. — Considerable swelling of hock and leg, but animal 
