The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-01-30
BROKEN BONES.
Those - Horse will Knit II They Are
Properly Treated.


Properly Treated.
It is a 'Nmmon opinion that horses
bones, once broken, never unite. This is
a standard error. A man who talks of
curing fracture in horse is pretty sure
of rebuke or sneer. The attempt to
cure is seldom made, because the horse
is rarely worth the cost. He may, after
all, remain permanently stiff and lame,
and for that reason fail of compensating
for the outlay of keep and treatment
The horse, because of his environments
and duties, is exposed to SO many acci-
dents, resulting in broken bones, al
though it is not to be denied that many
such untoward happenings are directly
due to carelessness in the construction
Of insecure stalls and permitting them
to mingle with one another as in pas
ture, without first removing the hind
shoes, so that the force of kick, play
fully or Intentionally administered, may
be lendel cd harmless. Fractures of the
limbs are by far the most frequent and
often necessitate sacrifice of the unfor-
tunate creature. While in general the
symptoms of broken leg are evident
enough, occasions will present them
selves when it will be difficult, perhaps
impossible, to decide upon the exact ma
ture Of the injury. The most impressive
feature about a broken limb is the more
or less complete inability to use the in
jured member, this suspicion being
further strengthened by the history of
its sudden occurrence and following the
receipt of some injury. Motion at part
of the limb usually devoid of mobility
is fairly positive proof of fracture and
is expressed by the term "danglin of
the leg" If the leg should be shorter
than the opposite one, fracture, of
course, would be the first opinion to en-
tertain. But no testimony is comparable
to that known as crepitation. which is
the sound produced by rubbing together
of pieces Of broken bone. To elicit this
sound without inflicting unnecessary
pain it is requisite to manipulate the
parts gently and carefully.
The repair of broken bone is one of
natures many interesting processes,
which art merely aims to assist by ad-
justing the fragments in as nearly
normal position as can be obtained and
maintaining it until firm union is es-
tablished. 1t is in this connection that
the greatest obstacle presents itself.
Subjects with severe bone injuries are
difficult to restrain and often manage
to disarrange the dressings, however in
geniously devised, in spite Of the best
directed precautions. Whenever break
is complete and involves long bone Of
the limb, efforts should not be made to
cure, except in the case Of valuable
breeding mares or stations, unless it be
some favorite pet in whose behalf an in
dulgent owner is willing to devote time
and money. Fractures of the bones en-
tering into the formation of the hip are
quite common and generally follow as
the result Of severe falls. In these par
ticular cases treatment is often the
means Of restoring an animal, after sew
eral months, to condition almost as
good and serviceable as before the acci-
dent. All that can usually be done is to
suspend the patient in sling, SO as to
prevent lying down, allowing nature, in
her own way, to mend the damaged
bone. Successful management in all
cases Of fracture calls for sound judg-
ment and nice adjustment of whatever
dressing or bandaging is employed, and
offers an excellent opportunity for veter-
inaries to display their tact and skill.
The period has not long elapsed when to
have received such hurt was quite
equivalent to undergoing sentence of
death for the suffering animal, and per-
haps today similar verdict is pro-
nounced in many cases in which the ex-
ercise of little mechanical ingenuity,
with a due amount of careful nursing,
might secure contrary result and in
sure the return of the patient to his for
mer condition of usefulness. A fracture
in horse is, in fact, no less amenable
to treatment than the same description
of injury in any other creature. But the
question of propriety and expediency of
treatment is dependent upon certain
specific collateral considerations. Gin.
cinnati Enquirer.
Encounter With a Yak.