CHAP. III. Of the Signs of a broken Skull, which are manifest to our sense.
THose signs are here said to be manifest to sense, which, when the Bone is bared,* 1.1 manifest the wound to our Eyes, fingers, and probe. But if the hairs stand upon one end in the wound, you may know the Bone is broke, because the hair which yields to the violence of the blow, cannot be so cut, the Bone which resists the stroak being not violated, as it is observed by Hippocrates; wherefore we may by the sight of this one thing,* 1.2 before any inspection of the wound it self, suspect by a probable conjecture, that the Skull is broken, and perswade the be∣holders or standers by so much.
Moreover we may, before we have cut the skin across, or laid bare the Bone, give a guess by our feeling, whether the Skull be broken, or no, if we by pressing down our fingers neer the wound shall perceive the bone either to stand up, or be pressed down otherwise than it should na∣turally be.
The skin being c••t cross-wise, and the Bone laid bare, if the fracture be not obvious to the Eye,* 1.3 you must try with our probe: which must neither be too thin nor too sharp, lest by falling into some natural ••ranies, it may cause us to suspect without any cause that the Bone is broken; neither let it be too thick, lest the little clifts may deceive you. If when your probe comes to the Bone, it meets with nothing but that which is smooth and slippery, it is a sign that it is whole.
But on the contrary, if you find it any thing rough, specially where there is no suture, it shews the Bone is broken. But let the Chirurgeon consider, that the fractures are not seldom upon the sutures; and that the sutures have not alwayes one and their natural site; as also it often comes to pass that the broken cleft, or cut Bone, can neither be perceived by your sight, nor Instrument: wherefore if you think there is any such thing, by the rational signs above-mentioned; anoynt the place with writing Ink, and Oyl, and so you shall find the crack or clift, by the means we shall shew you hereafter.
When you are certain of the fracture,* 1.4 then you must diligently consider the greatness of the disease, and apply medicines speedily. Verily when a fracture chances to light upon any suture, the disease is hard to be known, unless the fracture be very great, because the sutures by their clifts and roughness resemble fractures; wherefore Hippocrates saith, that he was deceived by them. Now having briefly delivered the differences and signs of a broken Skull, it is time to come to the several kinds thereof, with a Fissure.