Practical Treatise on Fractures (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838 edition. Excerpt: ... dyle. I have seen one case of this kind in a boy, who had the leg crushed on a rail-road. The head of the tibia was broken into a great many small pieces, and the inner condyle was found to have a fracture extending through its substance for the extent of threequarters of an inch; which was ascertained after the boy's leg was amputated. In these cases of partial fracture, of course there are no symptoms to indicate its existence, for there can neither be motion or displacement. TREATMENT OF FRACTURES OF THE LOWER END OF THE FEMUR. The principle of treating fracture of the condyles, or of the shaft of the bone immediately above them, is the same as that of the shaft of the bone elsewhere, namely, to place the limb in that position which tends to relax the muscles, whose action would be disposed to cause displacement by pulling upon the fractured portions of bone. The treatment by extension in these cases I think bad, and for these reasons: --1st. The fracture is generally very oblique, whether it include the condyles or not; and it generally extends downwards and forwards, so leaving a disposition for the lower portion of bone to fall into the popliteal space; the consequence of which is, that support is wanted from behind, to keep the fractured surfaces in contact, which the long splint will not do. 2nd. The muscles have more power over the lower portion now, to what they have when the fracture is higher up; and the straight position only tends to make them exert this power, by putting them into spasm as soon as they are pulled upon. 3rd. When the fracture extends into the joint, it will be decidedly injurious to make extension upon the limb; for the more the portions of bone are pulled upon, or the soft parts around them, the more will...