502 
FRACTURES OF THE HUMERUS. 
construction of the elbow-joint in dogs, the external condyle when broken 
off is usually drawn upwards, whilst the internal becomes visible on the 
inner side of the elbow-joint, and appears lower in position than usual. 
This increased prominence of the internal condyle seems to have given 
rise to a belief that in the dog it (the internal condyle) is the more fre¬ 
quently fractured. In horses there is severe lameness when the limb is 
carried, and inability to place weight on the foot. The leg is adducted 
(turned in) in fracture of the extensor condyle, and abducted (turned 
out) in that of the flexor. In the former case the lower joints of the 
limb are excessively flexed, so that the front of the hoof is in contact with 
the ground, owing to the relaxed extensor muscles being loosened from their 
upper points of insertion. During recovery, this abnormal position of the 
limb often suddenly disappears, and if, in fractures of the flexor condyle, 
weight be then placed on the foot, the knee is excessively extended, so 
that the anterior surface of the limb appears concave; this is particularly 
noticeable during trotting, at the moment when weight is placed on 
the foot. When accompanying abnormal flexion of the elbow-joint, this 
symptom is explained by the relaxation of the flexor metacarpi, consequent 
on loosening of its upper point of insertion. The same is true of the 
flexor tendons in fractures of the inner condyle. Otherwise this 
symptom only occurs in rupture of the flexors, or in fractures of the 
pisiform bone, and is, therefore, of particular diagnostic value. It 
does not occur in carnivora. 
Fissuring of the humerus can scarcely be diagnosed, though it may be 
suspected. 
Course. In carnivora, fractures of the condyles almost always unite 
in six to eight weeks, though some interference with movement of the 
elbow may remain. Stockfleth and Moller in dogs have seen such frac¬ 
tures occur in both legs simultaneously, and yet reunite. Holler’s case 
was in a sporting dog, which afterwards regained its usefulness. Opinion 
should, however, be guarded, as the condyle sometimes fails to heal, and 
in old dogs, even when this occurs, movement of the elbow-joint is often 
very limited on account of callus formation. In another case, in a horse, 
recovery took between two and three months, and yet the animal was 
finally quite able to work. Williams appears to have had less favourable 
results, for he declares that union of the broken condyle seldom occurs, 
and that in consequence lameness is permanent. 
Fracture of the diaphysis is less hopeful in all classes of animals, 
especially in draught-horses, and as a rule, no good comes of attempting 
treatment. It is otherwise with valuable breeding-horses, particularly if 
of quiet temperament, and in the smaller domestic animals healing is 
quite possible so long as displacement is not great, and the other foot is 
able to bear weight. Under these circumstances recoveries have been 
