[p. 171]
Part 1
In treating fractures and dislocations, the physician must make the
extension as straight as possible, for this is the most natural direction.
But if it incline to either side, it should rather turn to that of
pronation, for there is thus less harm than if it be toward supination.
Those, then, who act in such cases without deliberation, for the most
part do not fall into any great mistake, for the person who is to
have his arm bound, presents it in the proper position from necessity,
but physicians who fancy themselves learned in these matters, are
they who commit blunders. There is no necessity for much study, then,
in order to set a broken arm, and in a word, any ordinary physician
can perform it; but I am under the necessity of giving the longer
directions on this subject, because I know physicians who have the
reputation of being skilled in giving the proper positions to the
arm in binding it up, while in reality they are only showing their
own ignorance. But many other things in our art are judged of in this
manner, for people rather admire what is new, although they do not
know whether it be proper or not, than what they are accustomed to,
and know already to be proper; and what is strange, they prefer to
what is obvious. I must now state what the mistakes of medical men
are, which I wish to unteach, and what instructions I have to give
as to the management of the arm; for what I have to say regarding
it, will apply to the other bones in the body.
Part 2
The arm, then, for that is the subject we were treating of, was presented
in the prone position to be bound, but the physician forced his patient
to hold it as the archers do when they project the shoulder, and in
this position he bound it up, thinking within
