FRACTURE OF THE COFFIN BONE IN A HORSE. 309 
On the following day the wound was dressed with some cool- 
ing lotion, and the bandage replaced, after which he was put 
in the slings. The wound healed up, without any bad symptom 
arising, in the space of four weeks from the operation. 
In the fifth week he had gentle exercise, and walked perfectly 
sound ; nevertheless, I applied a blister to the leg, and he is now 
completely free in all his paces, and trots as well as any horse in 
the owner’s service. My patient is going out for a month’s run 
at grass, in order to improve his condition, for he had been very 
considerably reduced in flesh. 
This, then, is the successful issue of the case by the new 
system of operating ; and it is for this reason that I send the 
account of it for insertion in your valuable Journal. 
I do not mean to deprecate the old system entirely, — that of 
making a transverse section of the tendons,— until I have am- 
ple proof of the efficacy of the oblique method of operating. 
Perhaps some of the members of the profession will do us the 
favour to give it a trial, and set the matter at rest, for it is an 
important subject. 
P. S. — While finishing this paper, I happened to glance on 
Mr. Blaine’s treatment on the division of the flexor tendons, 
and I find that he recommends putting a patten shoe on the oppo- 
site foot, in order to keep the divided tendons apart from each 
other, and prevent their contracting again. In my opinion this 
is unnecessary, as we require rather to support the tendons, and 
prevent the fetlock joint from receding too far backwards. 
A CASE OF FRACTURE OF THE COFFIN BONE IN A 
HORSE. 
By the same . 
Perhaps the history of the following case may be worthy of 
a corner in your Periodical : it is rather an intricate one, and 
of rare occurrence. The patient was the property of Mr. Orr, 
who had bought him about the month of April, 1842. He was 
a strong useful animal, but had been previously foundered. 
Notwithstanding this, he was in excellent condition at the time 
of sale, and his feet (although pumiced) were in order. In 
the month of July last he became suddenly lame. In this 
state he was kept working for a day or two after, while he got 
worse, and was sent to me to be examined. I took off the shoe, 
VOL. xvi. t t 
