Medical evidence in railway accidents / by John Charles Hall.

  • Hall, John Charles, 1816-1876.
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical evidence in railway accidents / by John Charles Hall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the most exposed; and, it it is quite possible for them to be broken without injury to the chord. Much will depend on the extent of the fracture, and the amount of displacement—for the spinous process may be broken off—the arch on either side of the spine may be broken through—or, the fracture may have passed directly through the body of the vertebra. The symptoms of fracture of the spine vary with the degree of displacement, and the part of the spine that has been injured. The local symptoms mark the injury to the vertebrae—the general symptoms exhibit the effects of compression or laceration of the chord itself. The local symptoms are inability to stand upright, or even to move the spine ; pain over the part injured, which is increased on pressure ; irregularity in the spinous processes; there is prominence of the lower, and depression of the upper portion of the spine. The general symptoms have already been fully described in the first chapter. Dislocations of the Spine. From the construction of the articulating surfaces of the vertebrae—their trifling capability of motion, and their peculiarly powerful anatomical formation, disloca- tions of the spine must, of necessity, be very rare; so rare, as to be deemed impossible by many eminent surgeons. Sir A. Cooper, in his work on dislocations, page 17, says—What have been called dislocations of the spine, are really fractures of the vertebrae with displacement of the bones, but not of the intervertebral substance. The only true dislocations of the spine admitted by this celebrated surgeon, are those of the first and second cervical vertebrae. Two instances of dislocation of the atlas from the occipital bone have been recorded—the one by Lassus, the other by Paletta. One man lived five hours, the other five days. But little dependence can be placed on the description of Paletta.