The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-25
OLD FASHIONED VERSUS MOD
ERN TREATMENT OF FRACTURES

There is no difference between a
fracture, break and crack OF bone.
The term compound" fracture means
that there is wound or break in the
skin over or near the seat of fracture,
and this gives the added risk Of in
lection at the time of the injury or
subsequently from improper handling.
It is not evidence for or against
fracture that the patient can or can
not move or use the injured member.
The old time doctor waited till the
swelling had subsidized to set or reduce
the fracture, that is, to replace the
fragments in as nearly perfect posi-
ton as possible. The modern doctor
reduces the fracture Immediately.
The old timer used splints, band
ages or other means to prevent all mo-
ton, and often he applied bandages
so tightly that the bandageS caused
the victim greater discomfort than
the injury did and if such dressing
was left undisturbed for days and
weeks, the permanent damage the
victim suffered was say fifty-fifty-
half due to the injury and half to
the crude maltreatment.
The modern physician-of course he
is surgeon too, for every individual
who receives the degree of M. D. and
the legal right to practice is licensed
as a physician and surgeon-so fits
his spints and other dressings as to
give the patient the greatest degree
of comfort consistent with good sur
gerry and satisfactory healing, and II
he uses bandages he does not use
them to compress the broken bones
in place. His bandages are invariably
applied so that there is enough give
to insure against that, and yet they
are snug enough to support and re-
tain the splints in place.
The old timer allowed the splints
or other rigid dressing to remain I'M
disturbed for several weeks. The
modern physician removes the dress
ing daily to see that all is right, to
apply gentle massage and movements.
He is striving to keep the soft tissue
in good condition, to maintain good
circulation, to prevent harmful ad-
hesions or deformity. The old timer
had An eye and an idea of merely a
broken bone.
Formerly, and even now, physicians
employed plaster of Paris for spllnts
or casts in many feature cases. Here
the difference between the old fossil
and the physician with up-to-date
surgical training is less obvious, but
if the cast completely encircles limb
or body and is allowed to remain un-
disturbed for weeks like that it is ar
old fossil in charge. If an up-to-date
man uses plaster of Paris, he either
molds light splint to fit one side o.
the injured member or If ne applies
complete casing of the plaster III
Immediately cuts it into two naive
llengthwise and then regularly remove.
one or both halves to inspect, mas
sage and gently move the injured
limb.
The modern doctor discards al
splints or other rigid dressings II
from three to four weeks in mos
cases Of broken legs or arms. TN
old times kept the victim IN splint
till the cows came home and tina
excessively long disuse brought abou
a good deal of permanent disability
The anatomical and functional re-
suits obtained by the ordinary every
day practitioner now are superior q
the best the great surgeons OF tn
past generation ever saw.