FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS. 611 
&c., I managed to save the horse, but all the incisor-teeth 
on the fractured side fell out. 
3. Fracture of Spine. 
I have seen many cases. One, which was caused solely by 
muscular contraction, is singular. It happened on the march. 
Morning stables were over, and the men were going to their 
tents, when a noise was heard and a horse fell. I saw him 
directly, and found the spine fractured. The man said the 
horse was jumping about, and he heard a noise as if the 
animal had voided wind, which made him look round, when 
he saw him falling. 
4. Fracture of Pasterns. 
I have seen several. They have generally occurred while 
racing. One occurred to a Cape horse* thorough-bred, the 
property of Captain Nolan, which had been bought as a 
stallion, but was allowed to fulfil his engagements. During 
his last race he fractured the near fore-pastern. I was asked 
if I could do anything to save him, and I said I would try, 
but that it was a bad fracture. The race-course was a mile 
from my sick stables, and he was a very violent horse. I 
managed, however, to get him home, and had him put in 
slings. He, at first, knocked about a great deal in the slings, 
but in the end he got so well that he could walk morning 
and evening about half a mile to water and back again. As 
his owner, however, was afraid that the leg would give 
way on coming down from a mare, he w T as shot. 
5. Dislocation of the Patella. 
This is very frequent, and easily reduced, but unfortunately 
as easily dislocated again. I had a case on the march once, 
belonging to Colonel Tyler. We were on the banks of the 
Kistna, which river we had to cross, and did not, therefore, 
move till daylight. I should mention that the horse had 
been castrated about five or six days before. He v'as, how¬ 
ever, recovered. Just as the parade trumpet sounded I 
w r as called to look at the horse, which was stated to be “ in a 
strange way.” I found the patella dislocated. Reduced it 
easily, but at every step it slipped out again, and the animal 
could not be left. I blistered the heel , and made the farrier- 
major walk alongside him, pressing on the joint. In this 
way he crossed the river, the man getting a good ducking, 
