96 
SPLINTS FOR FRACTURE OF THE LOWER JAW. 
with rings for attachment to the halter or to a neck strap, while a strap 
passed over the animal’s nose, about half-way up, secured the under portion 
of the splint in place. Instead of rods, Marrel used a gutter-like splint, 
formed of tinned iron, which fitted the posterior border of the lower jaw. 
On the lower part were four rings for fastening to the halter and to the 
animal’s nose and head. Fractures in the inter-dental space of the 
lower jaw may sometimes be reduced and fixed, by using the teeth as 
points d’appui. Thus Delamotte bored a hole between the first and 
second molars, and carried a wire thence around the incisor teeth. The 
wire having been in position for three and a half months, the fracture 
was found to be united. More recently bone sutures have been success¬ 
fully used. As a final resort, the body of the bone may be resected 
without destroying the power to masticate. This has been accomplished 
Fig. 59.—Fracture of the lower jaw united by wiring. 
by more than one operator, both in the case of the horse and dog. In 
tieating fractures at the height of the first molars, Ohlsen inserted an 
iron splint the shape of an ordinary magnet, which was pushed into the 
mouth legs-foremost, and embraced the back teeth, holding both splint 
and bone in position : unfortunately this method is liable to loosen the 
teeth. After attending to diet, treatment of fractures in the neighbour¬ 
hood of the articulatory process becomes expectant. Hence it is generally 
advisable to slaughter cattle early, rather than await an uncertain healing- 
process. It need scarcely be added that all compound fractures must be 
treated on antiseptic principles. 
Littlewood saw double fracture of the lower jaw in a horse, the maxilla 
being broken near the symphysis, and between the second and third 
incisor teeth. I he pieces of bone were replaced during anaesthesia, a 
hole drilled through them, and a metal wire so inserted as to fix them in 
position. The operation was completely successful. 
