Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-04-04
BROKEN BONES.
Acres HOW THE UNFORTU.
NATE MAY MEND THEM.
Che Different Varieties of Fractures
and the Signs and Symptoms By
Which They Are Recognized
Methods ot Treatment.
: CCIDENTs are Of such commo4

OF some DOne, llaS IL may ID"
interesting to give some general infor-
nation about the way in which frac.
tdre is produced, the varieties it is CAP.
able of presenting, the signs whereby /:
may be recognized, the treatment most
suitable for it and peculiarities concern.
ing the consolidation of bone.
Every sudden and violent solution ot
continuity in bone constitutes frac-
ture, which is always the result of the
action OF some force that is greater than
the resistance the bony tissue is capable
Of opposing to it. The power brought
10 bear on a bone may, OF course, be in.
definitely great, and the strength with
which the latter resists may also be below
the normal; we may thus have fracture
caused by fall of rock in quarry, or,
to 60 to the other extreme, By a simple
movement in bed. In the former case
the destructive agent is infinitely above
the normal resistance of the bone, where
As in the latter the mildest muscular con-
traction is enough to break bone that
ls extremely brittle, as can be observed
n certain diseases.
A whole series of constitutional trou.
bles exist, such as rachitis, or osteomal-
scia, in which the different portions Of
the skeleton are lacking IN salts of lime
and are honeycombed with numerous
cavities which make them more especisl-
B-edisposed TO accidents OF this nature.
According to whether bone is broken
INTO two independent portions or whether
the fracture is only a partial one, we
have the terms complete or incomplete
fracture; and, in addition, there is the
class of fractures in which the bone is
crushed. When fracture takes place
without any harm being done to the
skin, it is known Gs a simple one; but
when the tIssuas which cover the broken
bone ara divided, either from rhe outside
20 the inside by the object which gives
tho blow, or from the inside to the out
eide By rne Of the fragments of the bone,
the fracture is called compound, and is
in direct communication with the open
air.
Finally, a frlcture i - direc,
when it is produced at the very point
at which the force is brought TO bear,
and indirect when it occurs at some Other
point.
The surface of the broken bone i.
transverse, o5lique, deutelated or COM
minuted. In the first case the bone i.
cut OF IN a clean section perpendicularly
to its axis, in the second the direction oi
the solution of continuity is such that il
forms a more or less acute angle with the
axis OF the bone, in the third irregular
points are found fitting into each othel
on the two pieces of bone, and in the
fourth the long fragments are numerou
and OF unequal size.
Various kinds of signs enable us tt
detect the existence of fracture. These
signs are termed rational, or tangible
The first class comprises the noise pro-
duced by the swapping of the bone, pair
and loss of power over the limb; the
latter, ecchymosis, reformation of the
part, abnormal mobility and grating Of
the bone.
The rational signs of which the patient
Is conscious are the direct and immedi-
lte result of the fracture. After the
sound that sometimes accompanies the
fracture of bone, but which may moi
be perceived on account of the
rapidity with which the accident
taxes place, a very acute pain is felt ex-
,ctly limited to the seat of the fracture,
increased by the slightest movement,
bat disappearing almost entirely with
rest. Lastly, there Is loss of power 20
move the damaged limb, owing to the
break in the lever to which the muscles
are fastened.
The tangible signs are those which
the surgeon himself can perceive. Tnc
confusion of the soft tissues about the
fracture give rise to al ecchymosis. The
separation of the fragments often de-
forms a limb in such a characteristic
manner as to allow the diagnosis of the
fracture to be made from distance.
! All of the signs that have just been al
iuded to are not found in every case OF
fracture and are not equally characters.
tic, whereas the noise which tho bon'
makes in breaking, the pain, the i'm
potencs of the limb and the ecchymosi!
are signs of probability, the loss o
shape, abnormal mobility and grating
sound ars positive signs of fracture, bu
it must mover be forgotten that they may
all be lacking, or else that those which
exist may be 30 doubtful that it is i'm
possible to say absolutely whether ther'
is fracture or not.
e When fracture has been produced
/ the first thing to be done is to prevent
any movement of the fragments from the
time the accident occurs until the injured
person is definitely laid in bed. Th'
region should then be placed in an sp-
parstus as soon as the fragments have
been brought back to their proper posi-
tiou.- This is accomplished By bringing
traction to bear on the two ettremitie'
Of the bone until 1t has its proper length
tnd until It has been replaced in the d..