Anatomico-chirurgical observations on dislocations of the astragalus / by Thomas Turner.

  • Turner, Thomas, (1793-1873)
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Anatomico-chirurgical observations on dislocations of the astragalus / by Thomas Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    20/148 (page 20)
    with fracture of one or of both bones of the leg, or what is more remarkable, without any fracture at all, ingenuity cannot clearly explain the modus operandi of the different species of violence, which are mentioned by writers, as having given rise to this accident. If they be analyzed and closely examined in their mechanical bearing, they appear hardly sufficient to explain the effect, except in those cases where there is a breaking up of all the binding textures of the bone. At all events, if we can con- ceive how dislocation occurs when the tibia and fibula are fractured, and there is more or less lacera- tion of the ligaments which unite the os calcis and os naviculare with contiguous bones, thereby loosen- ing their connexions, it is almost inconceivable how the astragalus can be dislocated alone, without fracture of the bones of the leg, or either of them, and without displacement or loosening of the tarsal bones; yet such has been the case in several instances. Mr. Phillips prefaces the detail of his very inter- esting cases of dislocation of the astragalus back- wards (to which we shall presently advert) with some remarks on the difficulty of conceiving the modus operandi of force, or of forces, by which luxation of the astragalus is effected. In his cases the astragalus was dislocated backwards, the dis- location being complete and simple, with scarcely any disturbance of the relative position of the other bones. Mr. Phillips expresses his astonishment at such an occurrence, and illustrates the difficulty with which this displacement is accomplished, by showing that we cannot, by any force applied to