Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-07-03

How to Set Horses Broken Leg.
MANY a horse with a broken leg is
killed to put it out of its misery, that
might, with proper treatment have been
cured, and if not made as valuable as be-
fore at least saved TO many years of useful
labor. Skilled veterinary surgeons are
yet rare, and in the country very seldom
t. be found 1t is much to be regretted
tut physicians and surgeons generally
think ii beneath them to treat domestic
animals. This is not the case, however,
with surgical friend of ours who has had
much success in treating fractured legs Of
horses, and has had the satisfaction OF see
ing several animals that would otherwise
have been killed made useful to their de-
lighted owners. At our request he has
written out his method of treatment
american 4grtculturist
Thanks to the application of common
sense to surgery, we have now at our com
mand a successful method of treating
fractured limbs among our farm stock
For durable cases this new method will
give a good percentage Of fair results.
Here it is. Suppose we have a horse
with his hind leg broken six inches above
the fetlock. The first thing to do is to
much wider than is absolutely necessary
to enable the animal to stand, or pair of
stocks such as are used for shooting re-
fractory colts or mules. Arran re wind
lass by which, when a band of the strong
est saicloth or some similar material is
placed under the animals belly, his hind
quarters can be lifted clear of the ground.
This belly-band should be one and a half
to two feet wide, and long enough to allow
its ends to be level with the horses back.
Thus 1t makes a snug cradle in which the
patient can rest. Put now a collar on his
neck, and to it attach a strap which shall
extend from it between the front legs to
the belly band, and thus prevent that from
sliding backwards or wrinkling into a
band narrow enough to pain the horse
when his weight comes to be borne by it.
Now having attended to the prelimina-
ries we are ready to set the limb. See,
first of all, that the leg is well clear of the
ground, making sufficient allowance so
that when the belly band stretches it will
not allow the feet to reach the ground.
Bandage the leg smoothly but not too
firmly from the foot up to above the knee"
with flannel bandage two or three inches
wide
Now take cant0n.fannel with a good
nap, and wide enough to cover the entire
bandage, cut it into such shape as will
accurately fit around the leg-then make
five more just like it. Take six pounds of
the best, freshest plaster Of Paris, not land
plaster, but such as is used for hard-finisb,
and stir enough of it slowly into two
quarts of cold water to make mixture as
thick as cream. Saturate one Of your last
made canton-tiannel envelopes for the leg
I, - 4 Il
nap side up, and pour on to and rub into
it as much of the liquid plaster as it will
hold. Next rub into the same flannel
enough of the dry plaster to fairly thicken
and tougher it.
Treat another piece of flannel exactly
the same way and lay the two fairly to-
gether, one on top of the other, and
promptly bandage them around the leg
which is now to be held in its right posi-
ton until the plaster hardens. Mean
while spread over the last bandage thick
coating of the wet plaster with your hands !;
and then prepare two more pieces of
canton-tlannel as before; apply these over
the first two and surround them with a
bandage which is also smeared with wet
plaster.
And, finally, the last two pieces of fan
mel are treated as the others have been,
and in turn are to be well bandaged and
the remaining plaster of Paris rubbed in
to the last bandage This, when it has
set, which will be in few minutes, will
give not only hard but a tough splint
that fits the leg so closely and keeps the
ends of the bone in such exact position as
to render displacement impossible, pro-
viding the leg has been properly held
while the plaster was hardening. Every
thing must be in readiness before the
plaster is mixed with water, and it must
require less than half an hour TO saturate
and apply all the flannel and the bandages,
or the plaster will have become quite too
hard to work. BY the time the last band
age is to be applied it will be seen that
the plaster has become thick and pasty,
and is then in good condition for coating
over all with the hand.
This would be my plan las it has been,
and successful, too for the fracture | have
described.
The principle involved in any other
case and with other animals would be
similar; with such notifications as COM
mon sense suggests.
| contend that an effort should be made
in almost every instance TO save the I'M
fortunate animal. | have cured number
by the method detailed above.
The average time would be from six to
twelve weeks before the bellv-band can be
removed and the limb tried 1t NAV be
necessary to renew the splint once. and it
should not be finally taken off until some
time after the leg is walked upon, as it
affords additional strength to the point of
fracture What have written may not .
new to some readers. | am certain it will
be to others, and for them | have written.
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