TREATMENT OF CRANIAL FRACTURES AND INJURIES. 
125 
Post-mortem showed a small extravasation of blood in the cranial cavity, 
3 drams of a clear light-red fluid in the ventricle, and a linear fracture of 
2f inches in length in the left parietal bone. Conti saw fracture of the skull 
produced by casting. The animal remained unconscious for a short time, and 
then struck out violently with the feet. It died on the fourth day, and a post¬ 
mortem showed three lines of fracture starting from the occipital bone. One 
ran from the left condyle to the foramen lacerum basis cranii; the second 
reached to the base of the right condyle ; whilst the third divided the occipital 
from the temporal bone. The bodies of the occipital and sphenoid bones were 
further fractured in several places. Pflug saw fracture of the skull in the 
horse caused by falling over backwards. The animal died on the spot. Post¬ 
mortem showed the cranium to be completely divided in a transverse direction 
into two parts. The medulla was torn away from the brain. 
Franco Gonelli describes a case of fracture of the base of the skull in a 
horse brought about by falling into a trench ; the horse’s mouth struck on the 
edge. The animal was able to travel more than two miles after the accident, 
but then showed signs of coma, the temperature fell to 97-6° F., and the 
heart’s action to twenty-four beats per minute. The respiration was irregular. 
After some hours the horse died. Post-mortem examination showed the 
entire base of the skull to be fractured. Extra meningeal bleeding had 
occurred and extended as far as the commencement of the vertebral canal. 
Fractures of the sphenoid and of the occipital, and even of the other 
bones of the skull, usually produce death in a short time, often after a 
few seconds. Fractures of other cranial bones may prove fatal if attended 
with much bleeding into the brain cavity. Mariot saw a horse, after 
falling, die with loss of consciousness and advancing dyspnoea. Becker 
records that a horse, after having struck its head against a wall, imme¬ 
diately died. Post-mortem showed a comminuted fracture of the 
occipital, with severe extravasation of blood on the medulla oblongata. 
Treatment. In subcutaneous fractures, without much dislocation, rest 
alone is required. Cold applications, laxatives, and spare diet ward off 
brain symptoms, and suffice in small fractures where dislocation of the 
fragments is only slight, and the brain functions are not disturbed. 
Replacement should be attempted where it can be effected without 
making a wound, and thus endangering aseptic healing. Strict anti¬ 
sepsis must be adopted in compound or complicated fractures where 
the injury is still recent, i.e., has not existed for more than twenty-four 
hours. The hair is cut or shaved, the wound examined with a disinfected 
finger, splinters of bone and foreign bodies removed as far as possible, 
and the entire surface carefully washed out. Plenty of disinfecting fluid 
must be used, preferably in the form of a strong stieam. No harm is 
done if the fluid penetrates the connective tissue and produces oedema. 
Loose shreds of tissue are removed with the scissors, the wound sutured 
with sterilised material (catgut or silk), and a dressing applied, kept in 
place in the horse with the help of the halter, to which the turns of the 
bandage are fastened. The horse should then be placed on the pillar 
reins so that it cannot rub off the bandage, as it frequently attempts to 
