CHAP. XXII. Of the fracture of the Patella, or Whirle-bone of the knee.
THe whirle-bone of the knee is oft-times contused, but not so frequently broken; yet when that happens, it goes into two or three pieces, sometimes long-wise, sometimes athwart; Sometimes it is broken in the midst, and some whiles shivered into many splinters, and all these either with, or without a wound. The signs are, impotency in going, a hollowness in that place, and a sensible separation of the fragments of the hurt part, and the crackling of these parts under your hand. It is set after this manner; wish the Patient to stretch forth his leg, yea, he must keep it extended all the while, untill it be knit; and therefore lest he should bend it unawares, the hollowness of the ham shall be filled with a boulster; for by bending of the knee, the set frag∣ments of the whirl-bone would again fly in sunder: This being done, the fragments shall by the hand of the Surgeon be set as is fitting, and be kept so set by the application of convenient reme∣dies, making ligatures, and applying junks, as we said must be done in the fracture of the thigh-bone. And lastly, you must observe and do in this as in the fracture of a leg. For the prognostick this I affirm, that I have seen none of those who have had this bone fractured, who have not halted during the rest of their lives. The cause hereof is, the knitting by the concretion of a Callus hinders the free bending of the knee; going, especially on even ground, is more easie to the Patient, but an ascent is far more difficult, and absolutely painfull. The Patient must necessarily for this kinde of fracture lye or keep his bed, at the least for forty dayes.