[p. 216]all that was said before on this subject. With
regard, then, to the matter on hand, I say that dislocations occur
more readily, and are more speedily reduced in those who are lean
than in those who are fleshy; and in those who are humid and lank
there is less inflammation than in such as are dry and fleshy, and
they are less compactly knit hereafter, and there is more mucosity
than usual in cases not attended with inflammation, and hence the
joints are more liable to luxations; for, in the main, the articulations
are more subject to mucosities in those who are lean than in those
who are fleshy; and the flesh of lean persons who have not been reduced
by a proper course of discipline abounds more with mucosity than that
of fat persons. But in those cases in which the mucosity is accompanied
with inflammation, the inflammation binds (braces?) the joint, and
hence those who have small collections of mucosities are not very
subject to dislocations, which they would be if the mucosity had not
been accompanied with more or less inflammation.
Part 9
In cases of dislocation those persons who are not attacked with inflammation
of the surrounding parts, can use the shoulder immediately without
pain, and do not think it necessary to take any precautions with themselves;
it is therefore the business of the physician to warn them beforehand
that dislocation is more likely to return in such cases than when
the tendons have been inflamed. This remark applies to all the articulations,
but particularly to those of the shoulder and knee, for these are
the joints most subject to luxations. But those who have inflammation
of the ligaments cannot use the shoulder, for the pain and the tension
induced by the inflammation prevent them. Such cases are to be treated
with cerate, compresses, and plenty of bandages; but a ball of soft
clean wool is to be introduced into the armpit, to fill up the hollow
of it, that it may be a support to the bandaging, and maintain the
joint in situ. The arm, in general, should be inclined upward as much
as possible, for thus it will be kept at the greatest possible distance
from the place at which the head of the humerus escaped. And when
you bandage the shoulder you must fasten the arms to the sides with
a band, which is to be carried round the body. The shoulder should
be
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