150 FRACTURE OF THE OS METACARPI MAGNUM. 
metacarpal articulation ; which fact I made known to the 
owner, who was present, and he being; unwillinj^ to have the 
cow destroyed, I decided to treat the case with a view to 
effect a recovery, a result which I did not despair of; on the 
contrary I expressed a favorable opinion, and the sequel 
proved my prognosis to be correct. 
The supposed cause of the fracture was a kick from a 
horse, as there were several confined in the same field with 
the cows; which I considered very probable, although there 
was no lesion of the integuments. 
The symptoms were those indicative of fracture, viz., the 
leg pendulous, slightly distorted, the toe being turned a little 
outwards, convulsive twitchings of the muscles above, and 
swelling below the carpus from extravasation, with a total 
inability to support weight, and distinct crepitus upon mani¬ 
pulation. 
Treatment .—Having secured the patient, I proceeded to 
replace the limb in its proper position, next I applied an 
adhesive plaister around and for some distance above and 
below the fracture. I then padded the leg with tow, and 
upon it placed ordinary pasteboard splints, moulded while 
moist to the proper form, securing the whole by retentive 
bandages, from near the elbow above down to the foot below. 
This 1 succeeded in doing to my satisfaction, and as the con¬ 
stitutional disturbance was not great, the excretions also being 
in a normal condition, I deemed it advisable not to risk dis¬ 
placement of the bones, by attempting the exhibition of any 
medicine internally, contenting myself with ordering such 
food as was easv of dio;estion, and calculated to maintain the 
alvine evacuations in a favorable condition. 1 also ordered 
the patient to be kept quiet, and not to be disturbed by any 
one except the man who was accustomed to feed her. 
I watched the case, and from the second to the fourth day 
much pain was evinced; but as this was to be expected, I did 
not give any medicine nor loosen the bandages. After this 
time the pain was not so acute, and the cow improved daily 
up to the time of my leaving home to resume my studies at the 
College, which was a fortnight after the accident had occurred. 
Upon returning to Norfolk to spend the Christmas vacation, 
I was informed that the animal had regained the use of the 
limb, which was not in the least distorted, and, in short, 
a perfect recovery had taken place in fourteen weeks, a result 
equally gratifying to the owner and to m 3 'self, and at the 
same time illustrating in a remarkable manner the power of 
the ins medicatrix naturce in cases of fracture. 
