612 FRACTURE OF THE NECK OF THE THIGH BONE. 
I was almost led to believe that it was a severe sprain of some 
important muscle or muscles of the thigh ; a belief in which 
my medical friend was quite willing to join me. Well : so far so 
good ; and I believe if we had given our verdict accordingly all 
would have passed off right, since some of the knowing ones had 
come to the same conclusion. But we now had the animal caught 
to be well examined throughout the entire limb. We could find 
nothing to alter our opinion, and were just going to leave in that 
careless, slovenly manner from which arises so many curious 
pictures in . At this time another thought struck my 
mind. I now had the limb lifted off the ground, and examined it 
more minutely, and by placing my ear in contact with the thigh, 
and moving the leg in a rotatory manner, I discovered a crepitus 
at the neck of the thigh bone ; and from this circumstance gave it 
at once as my decided opinion that the bone was fractured. My 
friend now placed himself in the same position, and at the same 
time by moving the limb, he distinctly heard the crepitus also, and 
rejoiced at the discovery, though exclaiming at the time “ the 
case was hopeless.” In this I concurred ; and as we saw no pro- 
bability of doing much good from manual interference, the animal 
seemingly not suffering much pain, and continuing to graze freely, 
and the parts not being much swollen nor attended with much 
heat, we came to the conclusion only to use such means as would 
allay any irritation that might take place, and would abate any 
existing inflammation. 
As TO OUR PROGNOSIS, I do not know whether it became 
verified or not ; but the pony got on well, needed very little 
attendance, and can now walk, apparently, as well as ever ; though 
1 must state that, as soon as it is made to trot, there is a decided 
limping, accompanied with a little eversion of the limb. In other 
respects, however, all seems to be right. The accident happened 
in May last, and the animal is now capable of slow work. 
CASE 2. — This case occurred in September last, and would not 
have been noticed so soon but as an accompaniment to the above. 
It happened thus : — A four-vear-old heifer, along with some others, 
brought out of the field in which they were grazing, and in so 
doing lamed herself in the off hind limb, appearing as if she had 
sprained the part; but not shewing intense lameness, little further 
notice was taken of it for a few days, not until more urgent 
symptoms began to shew themselves ; such as severe lameness, 
swelling, heat and pain in the part, loss of milk, want of 
appetite, & c. 
Sept. \th . — My advice was required. On arriving at my 
patient’s, and being a little more an the alert in consequence of 
the previous case, I felt better prepared to make an examination. I 
