FRACTURE OF THE OS METACARPI MAGNUM. 149 
of Acid. Sulph. and 5ij of Creasote were made into a ball 
and given daily. Strange to say, that in twelve days a 
sensible diminution of the discharge was perceptible, and it 
continued to decrease until when twenty-four balls had been 
given it ceased entirely, nor has it reappeared up to the time 
of my writing. 
I shall not venture to speculate on this case, but leave it 
to others to form their own theory and opinion. It shows 
us that Nil desperandum should be our motto, even though we 
may have exhausted all the ordinary means. Whether it 
was nature or the medicine that accomplished the cure, I 
know not; but it is certainly a little remarkable that the 
cessation of the discharge occurred after the administration 
of this compound. 
[Creasote has been found to lessen the discharge from 
mucous surfaces, especially those connected with the respi¬ 
ratory organs, and glanders in the human subject has yielded 
to it. A trial of it has been elsewhere suggested for this 
disease in the horse. 
We are not prepared to advocate the combination of Sul¬ 
phuric Acid with it, because they are not compatible; yet 
this, too, is a powerful tonic and astringent to mucous mem¬ 
branes. Something, perhaps, may be said in reference to the 
mode of combination.1 
CASE OF FRACTURE OF THE OS METACARPI 
MAGNUM IN A COW. 
By John D. Overed, Student, Royal Veterinary College. 
On the 29th of September, 186*2, I was requested to visit 
a valuable young short-horn cow, the property of IMr. Joseph 
Lvnes, Blofield. She was said to be suffering from severe 
lameness in the off fore leg, and that she could not be re ¬ 
moved. from the field to the farmyard, a distance of about 
four furlongs, in order to be milked; a great inconvenience, 
as she was in full profit at the time. 
Being at home when the messenger arrived, I at once re¬ 
turned with him to the field in which the animal w^as placed, 
and upon making an examination of the limb, my sus¬ 
picions formed upon the first sight of the animal were fully 
confirmed, and I at once detected a transverse fracture of the 
large metacarpal bone, about two inches below’ the carpo- 
