196 COMPOUND FRACTURE OF THE JAW. 
being surmounted, I proceeded in the following manner : — a 
broad splint of wood, of sufficient length to extend from the 
neck of the maxilla backwards nearly to the posterior edge of 
the same, was very thickly wrapped with tow, in shape to 
correspond exactly with the irregular surface of the face, as 
the hollow in front of the masseter muscle, &c., by which 
contrivance a flat and equal bearing was obtained. The 
splint thus arranged was then bound in lint, to secure the 
padding in position. Two smaller splints were similarly 
prepared, one for the inner side of the bone lodged within 
the channel, the other to support the bottom edge. The side 
of the splint intended to be in apposition with the parts was 
smeared with warmed adhesive pitch plaster, and carefully 
adjusted. The three were then confined by regular rolls of 
long linen bandage in the form of a figure of 8? passing round 
the nose and behind the ears, making the cross under the jaw. 
Stitches were put through the rolls of the bandages in several 
places, and effectually prevented any slipping. A kind of 
half hood, without ears, was worn as a covering to the whole. 
1 may mention that, at this period, the apparatus admitted 
of the mouth opening to the extent of rather more than an 
inch between the incisor teeth. The horse was placed in 
a comfortable box, and nothing allowed him but smoothly- 
made gruel, of which for the first two days he partook but 
sparingly, having been purposely nauseated with a dose of 
aloes, in the hope of insuring a quiet state of the injured 
parts. After the second day, the 66 giving” of the bandage 
afforded an inch and a half space between the incisors, which 
was the utmost liberty 1 permitted for many days. He now 
took sufficiently of his gruel, and with ease, for some days, 
when, tiring of it, he was fed with linseed tea, by means of 
the tube of the enema syringe passed between the teeth. It 
was not, however, necessary long to continue this, as his 
appetite for the gruel returned. Nothing whatever was done 
to the wound, now hidden from view by the bandaging, 
which, however, did not touch it, the projection of the splints, 
one above, one below, protecting it ; for it was obviously most 
desirable to ward off all source of irritation that might 
possibly excite deep suppurative action in a wound so 
immediately connected with fracture. For the first four 
days the whole side of the face was kept wet with evaporating 
lotion, and the constitutional tranquillity which followed 
soon told there was no further trouble to be apprehended on 
the score of the wound. 
On the eleventh day, the bandaging was readjusted, when 
the splints were found to be firmly adherent, and not in the 
