Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-18
DIR. GARDNER's SECOND LECTURE.
His Talk Last Friday Night to the
District Militia.
WHAT TO DO IN EVERYDAY KNEReENcIEs-FRAc-
TuRHs, DELEGATIONS, BRUISES, ETC., DIS
cUssxn-A NUMBER OF PRACTICAL AND LOCAL
INSTANCES CITED.

Or. W. II. Gardner, post-surgeon at WASH
ington barracks, deliveredlast Friday night at
headquarters, corner of 18th street and Penn
sylvania avenue, his second of a series of lee
lures he has been invited by Gen. Ordway and
the officers to deliver before the District mill
tia Printed notices had been issued that the
lecture would take place on Thursday evening,
but in consequence of the Presidents recep-
ton and other reasons it was postponed until
Friday evening. hence the audience was not so
large as usual, though the ambulance corps,
headed by DIR. ID. DIN Leech, chief of the
corps. turned out in force in uniform. DIR.
Gardner was provided with an ar tic ulated skel-
eton and number Of anatomical diagrams
and with the assistance of one Of the men he
was able to practically demonstrate in detail
every subject his lecture comprised.
He began by saying that any bone Of the hui
man body, from the arching bones Of the skull
to the straight ones of the toes, may be broken
by violence.
A MIsTEP on sLEErY DAY
may result in the fracture of a SKULL or the
heel of heavy man placed Inadvertently upon
the foot of another in a crowd may result in a
serious fracture of the bones of that foot, But
perhaps the most common of all fractures are
those Of the arm and collar bone. and result
largely from throwing out the hands and arms
to protect the body in falling. The hand is
Joined to the large bone of the arm (the radius)
by firm ligaments, and as the whole force of
the shock. in such cases, is transmitted direct
TO this bone there is more or less dislOcation of
the hand or wrist or fracture of the arm. In
cases of fracture the ends of the bone should
be placed as near together as possible and
splint and bandage put on to keep them in po-
sition. Then with rest nature will do the bal
ance.
Surprising an arm should be broken, said he,
r IL L. A-l-z
steady regular traction made in line with the
arm until the fractured end can be slipped into
the place from whence it had been torn away.
To keep it there the contractions of the muscles
of the forearm. which tend to pull it inward,
must be overcome, and this Is
THE OBJECT OF THE sPLINT.
In times of an emergency splint can be
easily provided from a thin piece of board-in
fact. almost anything that will give the arm
support can be utilized-a small limb of tree,
a bundle of switches even straws bound
firmly together will answer until proper appli-
ances can be had The main thing is to keep
the bone in its natural and proper position. To
keep down the swelling and allay pain keep
the bandages wet with alcohol and water, ar
MICA and water, whisky and water or cold water
alone.
When a collar-bone is broken the patient can
readily locate the spot by the pain, and there
will be found protuberance or swelling show
jects above the other. This form of fracture
is nearly always oblique. The simplest resort
ia this case would be the figure 8 bandage,
which passes around each shoulder and crosses
between them on the back. When both bones
of the forearm are broken broader splints must
be used, one bone rotates upon the other,
and if they should unite the rotary motion
would be prevented and the proper use of the
arm lost. The limb should be bandaged from
the end to support circulation, prevent SWELL
ing and stop spasm of the muscles The arm
should be supported by
SLING FROM THE SOUND SHOULDER.
A fracture of the upper bone of the arm is
treated much in the same way. Should the ends
OF the fractured bones override, congresses
should be used to keep them in place.
When bone of the foot, leg, or thigh, is
broken. said he, the patient should be laid
down at once, and the limb elevated, which
will tend to empty the veins and prevent SWELL
ing. Congresses and bandages should be ap-
piled to adjust the fractured bones to
their proper places. There are two bones in
the leg, and if one only is broken the other will
in a manner serve as a splint and prevent any
great displacement, but a regular splint is nee
essary in either case, which, as for the arm,
can be easily improvised.
At this point DIR. Leech called attention to
the case of Officer Rhodes, of the METROPOLITAN
police, whose horse fell with him after the
parade had disbanded Thanksgiving day,
breaking the small bone of the leg just above
the ankle. DIR. Leech was called in, and in
the emergency, secured a long cigar box. which,
upon the top being removed and an end taken
out. served admirably a splint until the pa
hent could be gotten home and plaster cast
affixed to the injured part.
IN CASES OF FRACTURE OF A THIGH-BoNE.
DR.. Gardner continued. the first care is to lay
the victim down-anywhere, if on the ground
The foot and leg should be pulled until the
bones are close together and long splint ap-
piled. On the battlefield rifle may be used
for this purpose. limb of a tree, board
from fence, or, in the absence of anything
suitable, the legs can be firmly tied together
and the sound one made to perform the duties
of a splint for the other.
When the skull or spine is fractured but little
can be done other than sending for a surgeon.
In the majority of cases a minister would do
Just as well, if not better.
When one more ribs are broken the best
treatment will be to pass broad bandage
about the chest as tightly as possible to pre-
vent the motion of the ribs upon each other.
as their movement in breathing often causes
the sharp ends of the fractured bones to wound
the lungs or its covering, which would cause
hemorrhage and Inflammation.
TREATMENT OF DIsLocArIoSs.
In dislocations, said he, the treatment is
similar to that of fractures, though the symp-
tons differ widely. The most common dislo-
cations are of the shoulder There are several
simplest is that used by Sir Ashley Cooper,
which consists of laying the patient down and
bending his elbow at right angles to the arm.
The operator then, after taking off his own
shoe. places the heel of his loot in the axilla,
or right under the arm and next to the
shoulder. drawing on the arm in the mean
while with a towel or bandage fastened to the
lower part of the arm, just above the elbow,
to overcome contractiOns of the strong muscles
about the shoulder. When this contraction is
overcome the head of the bone can be slipped
back into its socket, and the arm should then
be bandaged to the side to prevent motion and
allow the tissues to heal.
DELEGATIONS Of the elbow can be usually
remedied by placing the patient upon a chair
and putting Bonded knee in the bend of the
elbow and by bending the arm and pulling
upon 1t at the same time, which will bring
the bones back into their places with an audible
snap. Dislocations of the wrist joint are not
uncommon from blows upon the hand or from
falling with the hand bent These dislocations
are usually backward or forward and should be
treated by drawing upon the hand so as to relax
the muscles and then pressing the bones back
ward or forward into their places. Splints with
congresses should be used to keep them in
their places. Dislocations of the thumb or one
or more Of the fingers are not uncommon from
administering blow with the clenched fist or
IN the great national game Of base ball when
attempting to catch ball hit from the bat. The
thumb or finger affected should be pulled at