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I. IT is called in Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. In Latin, Fractura Hu∣meri, vel ••ssis Humeri and in English, A Fracture of the Arm, or of the Bone of the Arm.
II. The Signs. It is known partly by sight, partly by feeling, and partly by the weakness of the Part, and complaint of the Sick.
III. The Prognosticks. A
Fracture of the Os Humeri is more eaily cured than a Fracture in the Bones of the Elbow.
IV. The Shoulder-Bone being broken, is consolidated in about 40 days; for it being a great Bone, it requires a long time for the generating of the Callus
V. The Cure. To restore the Bones to their proper place, the fractur'd Part is to be ex∣tended; one plucking strongly the upper part, another draw∣ing the lower Bone above the Elbow straight out, and then to reduce it to its place with your Hands, by closing it on all sides.
VI. If this cannot be done by the Hand above, in such as are of full and ripe Age, by reason of the thickness and strength of the Muscles, then it will be necessary to make the Extension by proper Instru∣ments, and Cords, as Hippo∣crates has taught us, and of which we have sufficiently spo∣ken before.
VII. In the Extension, let the Sick be kept immoveable, whe∣ther sitting or lying along, and let the Shoulder be kept in about the upper part of it, and let the broken Bone be drawn this way and that way, till you have truly fixt it in its right place.
VIII. The broken Bones be∣ing thus set right and straight, you are to apply fit Medica∣ments thereto, such as we have formerly described, and then it is to be bound up with fit Swaths, beginning at the Fracture it self.
IX. Lay round the Fracture a Bolster dipt in Red Wine, or Oxycrate; then three several Bands are to be taken, 3 or 4 Inches broad, and 5 or 6 Foot long: the first of these is to be laid upon the Fracture, with which you are to make three ve∣ry straight Circumvolutions; then it is to be carried up with small Rowsings to the top of the Arm, and stay'd round the Body.
X. The second Swath is to be apply'd to the Fracture, on the opposite side to the first, with which you are to make upon the Fracture two Circumvolu∣tions; so that the same Swath may be carried down along the whole length of the Arm, with many turnings about, and at last terminate below the Elbow, which yet it is not to cover.
XI. This done, four long Bol∣sters are to be laid round about the Arm, upon the Fracture, which are to be kept close with the third Swath; in the binding of which about, it signifies not much, whether you begin it at bottom, or at top; and so accordingly it may end either round the Body, or below the Elbow.
XII. The Arm ought also to be encompassed with two thick pieces of Pasteboard, made round at the ends, and of the length of the Arm, which must be apply'd so as not to cross one another, and then ty'd on with Tape, or Ferret-Ribband.
XIII. After which the Arm is to be put in a Scarf made up with a large Napkin, which is first to be apply'd in the middle under the Arm-hole, the Arm resting upon it, so that the four ends being rai∣sed
up, may be fastned to the Cloths of the opposite Shoulder; and the Hand ought to be kept higher than the Elbow.
XIV. And you must always be careful to bind up the Member in that figure or posture, in which it ought to remain; so as that the Shoulder-Bone with the Elbow-Bones, may make a Right-angle.
XV. Hippocrates binds on Splin∣ters the seventh or ninth day, be∣cause of the magnitude of the Mu∣scles of the Shoulder: for that in a longer time those Bones would become slender and loose; but you are to be careful, that these Splints touch not the extremity of the Joints.
XVI. Celsus, lib. 8. cap. 10. says, That they ought to be very long on the outside of the Arm; some∣what shorter on the brawn of the Arm; and shortest of all under the Arm-hole.
XVII. If the Splinter be imme∣diately fastned on, at the very first of all (as indeed most of the Mo∣derns now do,) they ought then to be tied on but loosly; and after the seventh or ninth day to be bound harder.
XVIII. And that the Member may be so placed, that the Shoul∣der may not be perverted, or turned awry; the broad Bandage which encompasses the Shoulder, should be drawn in a manner round about the Brest.
XIX. Let the Sick (when in Bed) lye upon his Back, putting his Hand upon his Stomach, and soft Pillows under the Shoulder; and lift up the Elbow by a Scarf put about the Neck, to preserve the orthogonal figure, and that the Angle may not be altered whil'st the Patient sleeps.
XX. After the second or third Dressing, as often as the Patient is dressed, he must stretch out his Arm streight; to the end the Tendons which run from the Arm, and are inserted below the Elbow, (contracting themselves by the long bending of the El∣bow) might cause a very trou∣blesom stiffness.
XXI. The shrinking of Tendons (which Barbers, and ignorant Chirurgeons call the Shrinking of the Nerves or Sinews,) may yet easily be cured in ten or twelve Weeks time, if you cause the Patient to carry every day, some fit or proportional Weight.
XXII. And then withal endea∣vour to relax and soften the Tendons with emollient Fomentations and Embrocations; (abstaining from all Astringent Medicines) and applying over the Contracture a Cloth dipt in Empl. de Minio, being but a little more than half boiled.
XXIII. You may also bathe the Contracture twice a day with Spi∣ritus Mirabilis, which softens hard Parts, and restores Contractures, to a Miracle: then anoint with this. ℞ Mans, Ducks, Goose, and Vipers Grease, A.℥i. Oleum Catel∣lorum, Ung. de Althaea, A. ℥ss. Oils of Earth-worms, of Neats-feet, of Camomil, and of white Lillies, A. ʒii. mix them: and after an∣ointing, apply a Sparadrap of Emplast. de Minio, a little more than half boiled.