120 
FRACTURE OF THE MAXILLARY BONE. 
blow of the foot ; otherwise I should not know whether there 
was a simple contusion or injury, or complete fracture. I pre- 
scribed only in my treatment of the horse some white water and 
bran ; he had also at his disposal a few handfuls of food. 
During the six or eight next days he was governed by these 
simple means. He was seeking continually to seize with his lips 
some forage. He introduced some particles into his mouth, which 
were immediately rejected, unless it had been boiled or softened; 
and he had exceedingly great pain when he attempted to swallow 
or was made to swallow some white water. He evidently became 
thinner every day. 
After divers efforts I made some attempts to assure myself whether 
the maxillary bone was fractured in its full extent. I rested con- 
vinced that the fracture was complete, although I had not heard 
its sound, and I was not able to effect certain movements as to 
the existence of the different portions. Of the presence of one 
fracture, partial and extensive, there was no doubt with regard to 
it, since we could obtain a slight movement, when making an effort 
with regard to the two extremities of the right maxillary branch. 
There was, beside, a manifold depression in the spot at which the 
foot of the horse was struck. In the space of eight days the soft 
tissues no longer were tumefied ; and, as the bone had preserved its 
normal disposition, I employed other means. 
Towards the eighth day the pain produced by the compression of 
the part contused was less, and the horse searched for food to eat 
or to drink ; I therefore presented him with some bruised oats, and 
the farina of wheat soaked in water. He swallowed a small 
quantity of these aliments. 
After a dozen or fifteen days the horse was in a state of extreme 
ineagerness and feebleness. We were obliged to feed him by 
means of a syringe, injecting to the bottom of his mouth white 
water and the farina of barley. He swallowed it with the greatest 
difficulty. Lavements were administered : he proceeded, however, 
exceedingly slowly, and he was indebted for his life to the diligence 
and assiduity of those under whose care he was placed. During 
the whole of September he remained in a state of extreme maras- 
mus. It was with difficulty that he could stagger about, and often 
several times in each day he would wander and fall. The two 
months of convalescence passed, and it was not until the end of 
November that he entered on the light service of that period. In 
April he was in full service, and regained his original health and 
strength. 
There are two circumstances which have appeared to me ex- 
ceedingly interesting; — the fracture or at least the fissure of one 
branch of the maxillary towards half of its length ; and the abstinence 
from solid food, which may be said to have been almost complete 
during seventy days. 
