PLATE VIII.—FRACTURES, ETC.
36. Displacement of bones of foot in Pott’s fracture. 37. Badly set Pott’s fracture (curable). 38. Rupture of rectus femoris. 39. Dislocation of metatarsus. 40. Dislocation of metatarsal bones.
Even at the risk of being classed by the present, or some future Dr. Howard Marsh, as being amongst those sophisticated Bone-setters, “who keep a skeleton in the cupboard,” or a few bones to amuse the credulous, I cannot close this little manual without saying something about the bones of the human skeleton. Throughout the extracts I have quoted from surgical and other writers, reference is made to the various parts of the body, where bones are fractured, or “put out.” These bones are mentioned by their scientific names, and may be as caviare to the million. I have therefore inserted a rough engraving of a skeleton, plate I., pp. 1 which cannot offend the susceptibilities of surgeons, for it is one which is placed in the hands of the students of the ambulance classes of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, in England. It will be observed that the skeleton is divided into three parts. 1. The Head; 2. The Trunk; and 3. The Limbs, i.—The Head has the skull-cap and face. ii.—The Trunk, the back-bone, breast-bone, with the ribs. iii.—The Limbs; the shoulders and arms; the haunches and legs. The shoulders and arms are the origin of prehension, whilst the haunches and legs form the origin of support and progression. The skull is composed of eight and the face of fourteen bones. The facial bones, except the lower jaw, are firmly pressed together. The latter is the one subject to dislocation.
The Trunk is divided into 1.—The thorax, or chest. 2.—The abdomen, or belly. 3.—The pelvis.
The bones of the Thorax, are i.—The spine (behind). ii.—The sternum, or breast-bone (in front); and iii.—The ribs and the cartilages (at sides). The Spine is divided into five parts. There are seven bones in the Cervical or neck portion. Twelve bones in the Dorsal or back portion. Five bones in the Lumbar or lower portion. There are five bones fixed into one in the Sacrum or rump bone. The incipient tail, this Os Coccyx terminates the column.
The Sternum, or breast-bone, forms the front of the chest; it has attached to either side a collar-bone and the cartilages of seven upper ribs.
The Ribs are twelve pairs of bony arches forming the walls of the chest. They are all attached behind to the spine. The upper seven are termed true ribs, being fixed to the breast-bone by their cartilages: the lower five are termed floating or false ribs, having no attachment in front.
The Abdomen is supported behind by the lumbar spine, and below by the bones of the pelvis.