Treatment of fractures of long bones by simple extension / by John Swinburne.

  • John Swinburne
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Treatment of fractures of long bones by simple extension / by John Swinburne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    vestments of the bone are the true splints, and that there is but little exception to this principle being universally applicable. Surgeons situated in remote parts of the country have to act and not originate. They see comparatively few cases of surgery, and are the possessors of fewer instruments and surgical appli- ances. They may be called a number of miles to see a patient, and find, when they arrive at the house, that the appliances which they are in possession of do not answer the purpose. What are the}' to do? Send for some one at any distance, thereby wasting much time and entailing much unnecessary suffering? If we can treat any fracture occurring in the leg or thigh, from the hi]) to the foot, simply by a perineal belt and extension from the foot, without any splints, and make better results, with more comfort to the patient, and with more speedy recovery of the use of the limb, we have surely arrived at the grand desidera- tnni; and when the treatment of fracture of the arm or forearm is rendered equally as simple, we have, I apprehend, arrived at the ultima Thule. As for myself, I employ this treatment in- discriminately, and I only ask my professional brethren who have the opportunity to try it, to do the same, and I am sure they will be able and willing cheerfully to bear witness to its entire effi- ciency, as have my friends Drs. Thorn, of Troy; McLean, of the Marshall Infirmary; Whitbeck, of West Troy; and Willard, of this city. I am positive that the method will withstand the most searching tests, and that it challenges comparison with the re- sults of the most complex machinery of splints and bandages. I have now treated over forty fractures of the femur and tibia, and in no instance have I seen over half an inch shortening (and that was the result of inattention), while in the larger majority there was no shortening at all (this, of course, does not include inter-capsular fractures, where there is always more or less de- formity), nor were there any of these that resulted in a non- union. The only case of non-union of the femur that has oc- curred in this city, to my knowlege, was that of a boy of about eighteen years, of good habits and enjoying good health. By some accident he broke the humerus and femur. The for- mer was treated with the ordinary splint, and recovered in a reasonable period, while the latter was fastened to the bed by the perineal belt and kept upon extension for some days. After this (the surgeon not having full confidence in simple extension), thinking to make the treatment doubly sure, made use of a Lis-