Suggestions with regard to the general treatment of fractures : with a description and mode of application of a new kind of splinting composed of felt / by David S.C.H. Smith.

  • Smith, David S. C. H. (David Solon Chase Hall), 1795-1859.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Suggestions with regard to the general treatment of fractures : with a description and mode of application of a new kind of splinting composed of felt / by David S.C.H. Smith. 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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    TREATMENT OF FRACTURES It must have occurred to every practising surgeon, that in fractures of the os-femoris a shortening of the bone almost uni- formly lakes place. This phenomenon has generally been attributed to the right cause, (viz. a contraction of its large and powerful muscles, particularly the flexors,) but the means to prevent it have been as generally mistaken. Much force has been thought necessary to prevent this contraction of the mus- cles, and for this purpose pullies and long splints, so applied as to keep the muscles constantly upon the stretch, have been re- sorted to. But the muscles under the action of these instru- ments, feeling a kind of sensation as if their fibres were about to be drawn asunder, contract powerfully, and not unfrequently take on a spasmodic action more than sufficient to counterbalance the extending power. The effect of violent extension upon muscles, is clearly illustrated in cases of dislocated shoulder joint. The deltoides, pectoralis and latessimus dorsi are all in- serted into the humerus, and contract powerfully whenever an attempt is made to put their fibres upon the stretch ; so much