On Fractures   

to be carried round the breast, and when the patient goes to rest,
a compress of many folds, or some such thing, is to be folded and
placed between the elbow and the side, for thus the bending of the
bone will be rectified, but care must be taken lest it be inclined
too much inwards.


PART 9
The human foot is composed of several small bones like the hand. These
bones therefore are scarcely ever broken, unless the skin at the same
time be wounded by some sharp and heavy body. The treatment of stich
injuries, therefore, will be delivered under the head of wounds. But
if any bone be moved from its place, or a joint of the toes be luxated,
or any of the bones of the part called the tarsus be displaced, it
must be forced back again to its place as described with regard to
the hand; and is to be treated with cerate, compresses, and bandages,
like the fractures, with the exception of the splints; and is to be
secured tightly in the same way, and the bandages renewed on the third
day; and the patient thus bandaged should return the same answers
as in fractures, as to the bandages feeling tight or slack. All these
bones recover perfectly in twenty days, except those that are connected
with the bones of the leg, and are in a line with them. It is advantageous
to lie in bed during the whole of this time; but the patients, thinking
light of the complaint, have not perseverance to do this, and they
walk about before they get well; wherefore many of these do not make
a perfect recovery. And often the pain puts them in mind of the injury;
and deservedly, for the feet sustain the weight of the whole body.
When, therefore, they walk about before they are whole, the joints
which have been luxated are cured incompletely; and, on that account,
while walking about, they have pains in the leg from time to time.


PART 10
But those bones which are connected with the bones of the leg are
larger than the others, and the cure of them when luxuated is more
protracted. The mode of treatment then is the same; but we must use
more bandages and more splints, and the bandage is to be carried round
to this side and to that, and pressure is to be made as in the other
cases, particularly at the seat of the luxation, and the first circles
of the bandages are to be made there. And at each time the bandages
are taken off, much hot water is to be used, for in all injuries at
joints the affusion of hot water in large quantity is to be had recourse
to. And the same symptoms of compression and relaxation should manifest
themselves in the same times, as in the cases formerly treated of,
and the subsequent bandagings should be conducted in like manner.
These cases get completely well for the most part in forty days, if
the patients have resolution to keep their bed; but if not, they are
subjected to the complaints formerly described, or still worse.


PART 11
In persons who jumping from any high object pitch upon their heel
with great force, the bones are separated, and the veins pour forth
their contents, owing to the contusion of the flesh surrounding the
bone, and hence a swelling and much pain supervene. For this bone
(os calcis) is not a small one, protrudes beyond the line of the leg,
and is connected with important veins and tendons; for the back tendon
of the leg is inserted into this bone. Such cases are to be treated
with cerate, and with compresses and bandages; and hot water is to
be used in large quantity; and they require many bandages, which ought
to be particularly good and appropriate. And if the patient happen
to have a tender skin about the heel, nothing is to be done to it;
but if, as some have it, the skin be thick and hardened, it is to
be pared down smoothly and thinned, but without wounding it. It is