Fig. 27. Reduction of both bones at the elbow.
Fig. 28. Reduction of the shoulder with the ladder in the horizontal position. Operator pulling head of humerus outwards with a thong.
From other passages in Hippocrates it would seem that any pestle-like rod may be indicated. The word Celsus uses means a staff.
Hippocrates describes several methods of improvising a scamnum.
Any strong couch may be used as the bench, and extension and counterextension may be produced by poles levered against boards fixed to the feet of the couch, thongs being attached to the middle of the poles.
Or instead of boards attached to the feet of the couch a ladder may be placed below the couch and the poles levered against the steps of the ladder.
If along with either of these methods it were desired to extemporize a lever to press down a hump back, this could be done by driving a post into the ground alongside the couch and making a hole in the post for the end of the lever to play in.
Or the couch could be drawn alongside a wall and a hole made in the wall for the end of the lever.