OF THE FORE LIMB, 
XI. DISEASES 
A. DISEASES OF THE SHOULDER REGION . 
I.—FRACTURES OF THE SCAPULA. 
On account of the sheltered position and slight mobility of the scapula 
in domesticated animals, it is comparatively seldom broken, though frac¬ 
tures are described as having resulted from blows with blunt bodies, from 
collisions, kicks, tieads, and falls, particularly from falls on the shoulder, 
or with the legs widely straddled. Trasbot saw the scapula fractured by 
struggling whilst in hobbles; oxen occasionally fracture the bone when 
carelessly lying down. The accident is also at times caused by violently 
iemmg-up animals, the neck of the bone being then generally broken. 
Sometimes the cervical or dorsal angle is broken across, sometimes'the 
spine or body, not infrequently the neck or glenoid cavity. The greater 
numbei of these fiactuies are subcutaneous ; only occasionally is the 
skin perforated. Such fractures are commonly fissured, but comminuted 
fractures also occur. Complications are commonest after fractures of 
the spine, the fragments of bone becoming necrotic and causing abscess 
f 01 mation. Moller saw one in a horse which was working in a gravel- 
pit during the winter. The scapula was crushed into more than eighty 
pieces by the falling of a mass of frozen earth. 
Diagnosis. In well-nourished animals, notably in horses, and in cases 
where severe swelling has occurred, diagnosis is difficult. Displacement 
of the broken fragments is often slight, and crepitation may be entirely 
absent. It is, therefore, clear that every marked, rapidly-produced lame¬ 
ness, which is evident both when the animal stands on the limb and 
when it moves, must awaken suspicion of fracture of the scapula, pro¬ 
vided there is no other self-evident cause. ? 
1 racture of the scapular spine is the only one of the above conditions 
m which the foot may be placed on the ground in the usual way though 
movement is then m the highest degree painful. In fracture of the 
scapular spine, and of the anterior or posterior angle of the scapula the 
fragments can be displaced with the hand. Fractures of the neck of the 
scapula are attended with excessive mobility of the foot, especially in 
ab- and ad- duction. Fractures of the body are most difficult to diagnose 
but may always be surmised if crepitation be present whilst the humerus 
is known to be intact. 
