The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-07
FRINGE OF Wales ACCIDENT.
Fractured KneecRp LucidIy Dis
cussed Apr0pOs of His Case.
From the London Standard.

From the London Standard
A medical correspondent writes to us as
follows:
"The nature of the accident which hap
pened to the Prince of Wales on Monday
appears to be perfectly clear, and though ii
is undoubtedly serious, from one point Of
view, there is no reason 10 apprehend any
complications or i'll effects beyond the in
jury itself. The bulletin issued on Monday
night stated that the Prince had fractured
his left kneecap, and further consideration
has not lea the surgeons in attendance to
modify or extend that diagnosis 1t may,
therefore, be taken that the injury is
simple one. No significance need be at
tSched to the fact that his Royal High
ness passed a restless night Considering
the heat of the weather, it would have
been extremely strange if he had not been
somewhat restless after having first sus-
tanned the shock of the accident, followed
by the fatigue of a railway journey-whicn
appears to have been attended by an I'M
toward breakuOWh-and finishing up with
a surgical examination of the injured
limb. The account of the manner in
which the fracture occurred is quite in
keeping with ordinary experience of this
common but rather peculiar injury lt
appears that the Prince was walking down
stairs when he slipped and either fell or
saved himself by an effort. The kneecap
is probably more often fractured in TINS
way than in any other, especially in per-
sons who have lost the activity of youth.
1T would be thought at first sight an
extremely difficult thing to break this par
ticular bond in half except by direct vio-
ience. 1t is of a circular shape, and re-
sembles a small, thick biscuit. The out
lines can be readily felt under the skim
Loo he Il = a .
of the leg relaxed, the kneecap can be-
moved about freely, but if the leg he
stretched out stiff it will be found TO be
firmly fixed. This is because the large
muscles on the front of the thigh are at
tached to it, and when put in action they
draw il up with great force. The lower
edge of the kneecap is attached to an eX-
tremely strong band, which can also be
felt drawn tight when the leg is stretched
out stiff Now it viii be easily understood
that when a person stumbles and falls go
ing down stairs and endeavors to recover
himself the sudden effort places an i'm
mense strain on this bone, serving, as Ic
does for a link between the powerful
muscles above the knee and the strong
Hgament below it. The strain may be SO
great as 10 snap the bone across the mid
die like a biscuit Thus, fracture may
occur-and frequently dose-without tal-
ling at all In other cases the injury may
be caused partly by violent impact with
the ground, in addition to the strain due
to great muscular effort. Happily, in
healthy patient the worst consequences to
be apprehended are some weeks of en-
forced rest and a certain degree of weak"
ness in the leg afterward. Owing TO the
difficulty of getting the two portions OF
the bone to unite firmly, 1t Is seldom quite
the same leg as it was before. But mem
bers of the royal family are VIGOROUSLY
good PATIENTS and the Prince has every
thing in his favor. After six weeks or
so we shall expect 10 see him about again
as usual, though meantime the enforced
rest will be irksome to a man of his ac-
tive habits, and will cause much disap-
pontment through the canceling of his en-
gagements."