702 
DISEASES OF THE LEG. 
pain, which is the sole reliable symptom, cannot be detected under the 
musculai tissue. In the cases described in which there was no lameness, 
the fissure was probably subperiosteal. Incomplete fractures and local 
injuiies are accompanied by lameness of greater or less severity, depend¬ 
ing on the degree of periostitis ; should the latter be slight, lameness is 
so little marked that animals, even with incomplete fracture, may be 
kept at work until complete fracture suddenly occurs. On the other 
hand, partial fracture and local injury to the bone may often be at 
once lecognised, provided the soft parts are not greatly swollen. From 
the uncei tainty which surrounds these cases, it is of the utmost import¬ 
ance, in every painful lameness resulting from mechanical injury to 
the innei suiface of the tibia, to bear in mind the possibility of fissure 
or incomplete fracture. Their existence is the more probable if 
lameness be severe, and no marked periostitis or local pain can be 
discovered. 
Fiactuies of the malleoli of the lower end of the tibia, common in 
man, aie laie in animals, though on post-mortem examination Leisering 
detected a case which had caused obstinate and incurable lameness. 
I he external malleolus was separated for a length of 1*4 inch, and 
to a height of -6 inch. The anterior portion of the middle protuberance 
was fractured. 
Course and prognosis. Although, in the horse, complete fracture 
of the tibia is almost always incurable, because the patient is unable to 
continuously stand on the other leg until the fracture unites, and splints, 
Ac., can only be applied to the lower portions, yet in oxen recovery has 
been repeatedly seen. Becovery has also been seen in young foals ; in 
some cases a splint was applied, but in others no precaution was adopted. 
Iiivolta desciibes a case in the ox in which a splint was applied by the 
local blacksmith. After six to seven weeks the animal walked sound. 
When the horse is valuable, and not of an excitable disposition, treatment 
may be attempted, especially if the seat of fracture be near the lower 
end of the tibia; in such cases recovery is possible. Foals and light- 
bred horses of quiet temperament are better able to endure the continuous 
lying than heavy animals, and therefore recover sooner. Montaya saw 
a transverse fracture of the upper third of the tibia in a mule unite, with 
the assistance of a splint. In France a number of cases are reported 
vlieie complete fracture of the tibia with displacement in horses has 
been reduced and the bone has united. But these have been collected 
fiom the records of many years, and must be regarded as exceptional. 
In sheep, goats, and carnivora, these fractures generally unite if not 
so high in the limb as to prevent a proper dressing being applied. In 
dogs, fractures of the tibia may completely unite in three to four weeks, 
even when complicated. 
