FRACTURES OF THE EXTREMITIES IN THE HORSE. 145 
4thly. To shew the importance of these facts in veterinary 
jurisprudence. 
it was on May 14th, 1831, that my attention was first directed 
to this subject, having been called in to see a horse that had 
had a kick on the tibia, which apparently had fractured it. Two 
days afterwards, while at work (for little notice was taken of it 
by the owner), the bones became displaced, and protruded through 
the skin. It was in this state when I first saw it, and 1 had the 
utmost difficulty in persuading the man that the tibia was broken. 
The animal was destroyed. 
Since that time I have seen many similar cases, in which the 
horse has worked for some time previous to a displacement of the 
bones. In a case that happened recently the horse was a fort¬ 
night from the time of the kick before a displacement of the 
bones took place. He was, during that time, turned out with the 
other horses, and regularly exercised. The external wound nearly 
healed; the inflammation up the leg very much abated; and the 
horse was very little lame. The servant, on going into the stable 
one morning and finding him lying down, naturally roused him. 
The sudden exertion displaced the bones previously fractured, 
and the man beheld his horse dangling a broken leg, with the 
bone protruding through the wound that had been nearly closed. 
It is from such instances as these that we draw our conclusions, 
that fractures often take place, and the bones do not immediately 
become displaced thereby. It is, however, extremely difficult, if 
called in to see a horse that has had a severe kick, to say whether 
there is a fracture or not, if there is no displacement. 
Now it strikes me, and I think it will be apparent to my friend 
Mr. Simonds, if he considers the matter a little more, that such 
fractures, where there is no displacement of bone, are curable. 
The principal points that we have to regard in effecting this ob¬ 
ject are twofold ; first, to keep down excessive pain and inflam¬ 
mation ; secondly, to prevent the bones, if possible, from be¬ 
coming displaced. The neglect of this is the grand error which 
both Mr. Friend and Mr. Simonds have committed in their 
treatment: for vvliere is the use of your bleeding, physicking, 
lotions, &c. if you use no endeavours to prevent that which you 
most dread, namely, a displacement of the paits? Where, there¬ 
fore, I suspected a fractured limb, I should, in addition to the 
other remedies, adopt the use of splints and bandages, taking care 
that they were not applied too tightly at first, or before the inflam¬ 
mation had in some measure abated. The bandage may then 
be tightened according to circumstances. It should be kept con- 
antly wet with cold water and astringent lotions. I need scarcely 
add, that the animal should be kept as quiet as possible. 
VOI.. XI. X 
