JT1

OF STRAINS.

Wheu a fracture is accompanied with a wound, it must be dressed ilkall respects as a common wound.

All that art can do towards the cure of a broken bone, is to lay it perfectly straight, and to keep it quite easy. All tight bandages do hurt.They had much better be wanting altogether. A great many of the ba-consequences which succeed to fractured bones are owing to tight band-ages. This is one of the ways in which the excess of art, or rather theJibuse of it, does more mischief than would be occasioned by the wantof it. Some of the most sudden cure of broken bones which were eveiknown happened where no bandages were applied at all. Some methodhowever must be taken to keep the member steady ; but this may bedone many ways without bracing it with a tight bandage.

The best method of retention is by two or more splints made of leatheror pasteboard. These, if moistened before they be applied, soon assumethe shape of the included member, and are sufficient, by the assistanceof a very slight bandage, for the purposes of retention. The bandagewhich we would recommend is that made with twelve or eighteen tails.It is much easier applied and taker, off than rollers, and answers all thepurposes of retention equally well. The splints should always be aslong as the limb, with holes cut for the ankles when the fracture is inthe leg.

In fractures of the ribs, where a bandage cannot be properly used, anadhesive plaster may be applied over the part. The patient in this caseought to keep himself quite easy, avoiding every thing that may occasionsneezing, laughing, coughing, or the like. He ought to keep his bodyin a straight posture, and should take care that his stomach be constantlydistended, by taking frequently some light food, and drinking freely ofweak watery liquors.

The most proper external application foi a fracture is OXYCUATK,or a mixture of vinegar and water. The bandages should be wet withthis at every dressing.

OF STRAINS.

Strains are often attended with worse consequences than brokenbones. The reason is obvious; they are generally neglected. When abone is broken, the patient is obliged to keep the member easy, becausehe cannot make use of it; but when a joint is, only strained, the personfinding he can still make a shift to move it, is sorry to lose his time forso trifling an ailment. In this way he deceives himself, and converts intoan incurable malady what might have been removed by only keeping thepart easy for a few days.

Country people generally immerse a strained limb in cold water. Thisis very proper, provided it be done immediately, and not kept in toelong. But the custom of keeping the part immersed in cold water for &long time is certainly dangerous. It relaxes instead of bracing the part,and is more likely to produce a disease than remove one.

Wrapping a garter, or some other bandage, pretty tight about thestrained part, is likewise of use. It helps to restore tlie proper toneof the vessels, and prevents the action or the parts from increasing the