LUXATION OF THE ELBOW-JOINT. 
529 
Large animals should be kept in slings. Ordinary splints are seldom 
of much use, but felt and poroplastin have been used with advantage. 
In treating an oblique fracture, the animal was placed in slings on the 
second day, reduction effected, and after applying wadding and gauze 
bandages, a piece of moistened felt was fixed in position by linen 
bandages. Complete recovery followed in three months. A number of 
successful cases in the horse have been reported by French practitioners. 
In most instances after reducing the displacement the limb was enveloped 
in masses of tow, saturated with white of egg and alum, or in bandages 
treated with a resinous solution. Over these were applied wooden 
splints, retained in position with a further series of bandages. In some 
cases it was found needful to pass the bandages over the shoulder in 
order to prevent the dressing slipping down. Some operators used 
plaster bandages. The dressings were left in position for one to two 
months. A more or less extensive callus remained, and the horse usually 
went lame, but in the majority of reported cases became sound again after 
firing. It must not be forgotten, however, that the failures are less often 
reported than the successes, and the former probably exceed the latter at 
least tenfold. Complicated fractures are treated on general principles. 
III.—LUXATION OF THE ELBOW-JOINT. 
In large animals, luxation of the elbow-joint is impossible without 
previous rupture of the powerful lateral ligaments ; in the horse, fracture 
of the ulna is then usually produced. According to Rigot, luxation 
occurs during flexion, on account of the force acting on the ulna. It is 
exceedingly rare in animals. Such cases have, however, been described 
in the horse. In one the internal lateral ligament was ruptured in 
consequence of a fall. The limb could be abducted to an abnormal 
degree. The horse recovered almost perfectly ; in five weeks only a slight 
“ swinging leg ” lameness was noticeable. 
A mule carrying a very heavy load of barley slipped and fell. The 
left leg, from the elbow downwards, was doubled under the body, and when 
the animal was lifted the head of the radius and the ulna were thrust 
to the inner side of the inner condyle of the humerus; that is to sa}g the 
lower extremity of the humerus overlapped the upper end of the radius. 
In another case a horse fell on its left side, with the corresponding leg in 
a doubled-up position; on rising the fore arm pointed obliquely forwards 
and outwards, the limb below the fetlock hung limply downwards. In this 
instance the head of the radius was outside the condyle of the humerus. 
Luxation of the radius outwards in dogs has been referred to the fact 
that the articular surfaces slope downwards and inwards, and the external 
lateral ligament is particularly strong. 
Distortion is very uncommon, on account of the effective limiting 
v.s. M M 
