FRACTURES.
Compound Open Fracture.—The bone is broken and the wound extends from the seat of the fracture to the outside. Such wound may be caused by the injury itself, or may occur secondarily from the protrusion of pieces of bone through the skin.
A comminuted fracture is one in which the bone is broken into a number of fragments.
An Impacted Fracture.—The broken ends have been forcibly driven into one another, and are thus fixed.
Multiple Fracture.—The bone is fractured at different points, or when different adjoining bones are broken.
A complicated fracture is one associated with a serious injury to some important adjacent part—e.g., a large vessel.
A green stick or incomplete fracture occurs where the bone is soft and bends, and is only partially fractured; it is most frequent in children.
Symptoms of fractures are usually pain, loss of function, deformity (seen or felt by passing the fingers over the seat of pain), crepitus or the grating sound produced and felt on rubbing the broken ends against each other, abnormal mobility in the course of the bone, swelling, and discoloration.
The principal point is to keep the part immovable and in a position to give as little pain as possible. Support the limb with something stiff and padded with cotton or remnants of yielding material. Bandages can be made of handkerchiefs, strips of linen, ribbon, etc., to keep the splint firm.
For the forearm padded splints long enough to take in the hand from above the elbow should be applied. Tie firmly with bandages and suspend in a sling.
If the upper arm be fractured, bind it tightly to the side. For the thigh, the splints should extend from under the arm to the ankle and should be bound to the body and leg with long towels or sheets torn into strips. A splint made of blankets, rolled up tightly from both sides on broomsticks, allowing space for the limb to rest between the supports, is a good and ready appliance. Always make extension to prevent contractions of the muscles, as this would result in shortening the leg.
For a broken clavicle (collar-bone) bind the arm to the chest. Put the patient on the flat of his back with a small pad between the shoulder-blades. This will keep the broken ends in a normal position.
N. B.—In every case elevate and support the injured member on a pillow, keep in position and give complete rest until medical aid arrives.