Fractures, dislocations, deformities and diseases of the lower extremities / by Hugh Owen Thomas.

  • Thomas, Hugh Owen, 1834-1891.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fractures, dislocations, deformities and diseases of the lower extremities / by Hugh Owen Thomas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    as may be noticed in the New York Medical Record, September 17th, 1881, and Transactions of American Medical Association for 1880-1. I shall relate another very striking case in support of my teach- ing. Dr. Glencross, surgeon of the Atlantic S.S. Arizona, brought to my surgery Mr. Roberts, second officer of that steamer, suffering from non-union of the lower end of the right femur, the result of a compound fracture, which had happened sixteen weeks before he was examined by me. After we had attended to the case, and retired to my house, in my consulting room, we found a lady and gentleman, accompanied by a boy aged about seven years. The lady, addressing us, said tliat she had observed that of late the child walked with his left foot inverted, and now desired our assistance to overcome this defect. At my request the boy was placed to stand and then walk, during which we noticed the complained of defect. I expressed my opinion of the case, and of the means to be employed to maintain the inversion but th; parents appeared incredulous. Having observed the child's gait, and the form of the right shoe, I expressed to them my opinion that the right foot had already splay- ed, and requested it to be exposed, when there was revealed to us a fact confirma- tojy of our diagnosis. The right foot was in the second stage of splay ; arch flattened with eversion, but no contraction of the peronei. The right foot had gone through the initial stage; the left one was in progress to deformity. The parents, however, were quite satisfied with the deformed one ; the inversion, during use, of the otherwise normal foot only giving them anxiety. The next degree of splay feet which surgeons observe are those where the arch of foot has giyen a little, with a feel- ing of weakness in walking, and discomfort under the external raaleolus of ankle-joint, without any limitation of the motions of the ankle or foot.