FRACTURE OF THE HUMERUS. 
189 
perceived that he was very lame of the off fore leg, and my 
attendance was consequently requested. On seeing him in 
the afternoon, T found the limb flexed and resting slightly on 
the toe, with an inability on the part of the animal to move 
it forwards. There was considerable effusion around the 
humerus, and the pulse and respiration were somewhat 
accelerated. On raising the limb gently forwards and out- 
wards, a crepitation could be distinctly detected, and more 
particularly on applying the ear to the shoulder. I had no 
doubt that a fracture of the humerus existed, in which opinion 
my friends, Messrs. Varnell and Yeomans, who saw the case 
the following day, fully coincided. As there was no distortion 
or shortening of the fractured limb, and as the horse w r as 
young, and of considerable value, it was determined to give 
him a chance of recovery. He was accordingly placed in 
the slings. The principles of treatment in this case appeared 
to be the adoption of perfect quietude, a cooling regimen, 
and the giving of support to the whole limb as much as cir- 
cumstances would allow of. From Oct. 24th to the 30th the 
effusion around the injured parts very much increased, and 
gradually extended to the knee. The additional weight of 
the swelling tended to draw the shoulder downwards, so 
much so that there was an inclination to rest the limb on the 
front of the fetlock-joint. To obviate this, a thick compress 
was adapted to the pastern, and which received the superin- 
cumbent weight, and tended to the support of the limb. No 
fomentations or lotions of any description were made use of, 
as their application would only have irritated the patient, and 
disturbed the position of the fractured parts. Very little 
irritative fever followed, and the general health and spirits of 
the animal remained good throughout the progress of the 
cure. 
There was no particular change, except the gradual lessen- 
ing of the swelling, till the latter end of December, when the 
horse began to place his foot more flatly on the ground. The 
.improvement continued, till at length he stood firmly on the 
limb, and occasionally pawed the litter under him. During 
the month of January the patient was removed from the 
slings in the daytime, but replaced in them at night. By 
the 21st of this month he was enabled to bear a little walk- 
ing exercise. The distinguishing features of this case are 
that, under three months, union of one of the largest bones 
of the frame, and consolidation of the callus to an extent 
sufficient to allow of locomotion being undertaken by the 
animal, had been effected. 
On stretching a tape from the point of the shoulder to the 
