PART 1
In reating fractures and dislocations, the physician must make the
extension as straight as possible, for this is the most natural direction.
But if it incline to either side, it should rather turn to that of
pronation, for there is thus less harm than if it be toward supination.
Those, then, who act in such cases without deliberation, for the most
part do not fall into any great mistake, for the person who is to
have his arm bound, presents it in the proper position from necessity,
but physicians who fancy themselves learned in these matters, are
they who commit blunders. There is no necessity for much study, then,
in order to set a broken arm, and in a word, any ordinary physician
can perform it; but I am under the necessity of giving the longer
directions on this subject, because I know physicians who have the
reputation of being skilled in giving the proper positions to the
arm in binding it up, while in reality they are only showing their
own ignorance. But many other things in our art are judged of in this
manner, for people rather admire what is new, although they do not
know whether it be proper or not, than what they are accustomed to,
and know already to be proper; and what is strange, they prefer to
what is obvious. I must now state what the mistakes of medical men
are, which I wish to unteach, and what instructions I have to give
as to the management of the arm; for what I have to say regarding
it, will apply to the other bones in the body.


PART 2
The arm, then, for that is the subject we were treating of, was presented
in the prone position to be bound, but the physician forced his patient
to hold it as the archers do when they project the shoulder, and in
this position he bound it up, thinking within himself that he was
acting according to Nature, and in proof of this he pointed out that
all the bones in the fore-arm were thus in a straight line, and that
the integuments both inside and outside, were also in a straight line,
and that the flesh and nerves (tendons?) were thus put in their natural
position, and he appealed to what happens in archery, as a proof of
this. And so saying, and so doing, he is looked up to as a sage; and
yet he forgets that in all the other arts and performances, whether
executed whether executed by strength or dexterity, what is reckoned
the natural position is not the same, and that in the same piece of
work it may happen that the natural position of the right arm is not
the same as that of the left. For there is one attitude in throwing
the javelin, and another in slinging, another in casting stones, another
in boxing, and another in a state of repose. And whatever arts one
examines, it will be found that the natural position of the arms is
not the same in each, but that in every case the arms are put into
the attitude which suits best with the instrument that is used, and
the work to be performed. In practicing archery, no doubt this is
the best attitude of the left arm, for gingly-moid extremity of the
humerus being fixed in the cavity of the ulna, in this position, throws
the bones of the forearm and arm into a line, as if they constituted
a single bone, and all flexion at the joint is prevented in this position.
It is no doubt certain that the member is thus put into the most unbending
and extended position possible, so as not to be overcome or yield
when the string is drawn by the right arm, and thus will the archer
be enabled to draw the string farthest, and discharge his arrow with
the greatest force and rapidity, for arrows thus discharged have the
greatest swiftness and force, and are carried to the greatest distances.
But there is nothing in common between the binding up of an arm and
archery. Moreover, if having thus bound up the arm, the physician
direct the patient to keep it thus, he will occasion him greater pain
than he had from the wound itself; and thus also, if the physician
order him to bend the arm, neither the bones, the nerves, nor the
flesh will any longer be in the same condition, but will be arranged
differently, having overcome the bandaging. What use, then, is there