[p. 223]carry them to
the fore part and again backward. There are others who do not apply
the bandage round the girdle, but carry the rounds of it by the perineum
and anus, and along the spine, so as to compress the fracture. To
an inexperienced person these methods will appear not far from natural,
but when tied, they will be found of no service; for they do not remain
firm any length of time, even if the patient keep his bed, although
in this position they answer best; and yet even when lying in bed,
should he bend his leg, or should his trunk be bent, all the will
be displaced; and, moreover, the bandaging is inconvenient, in as
much as the anus is comprehended by it, and many turns of the bandage
are crowded there in a narrow space. And in the method with the girdle,
the girdle cannot be so firmly girt around, but that the turns of
the bandage force the girdle to ascend, and hence of necessity all
the other bandages must be slackened. He would seem to me to come
nearest his purpose, although after all he effects but little, who
would take a few turns round the girdle,
but would use the bandage principally to secure the former bandaging;
for in this manner the bandages would be most secure, and would mutually
assist one another. Every thing now almost has been said which applies
to fracture of the clavicle. But this also should be known, that in
fractures of the clavicle, it is the part attached to the breast which
is uppermost, and that the piece attached to the acromion is the lowermost.
The cause of this is, that for the most part the breast can neither
be depressed nor raised, there being but a slight movement of the
joint at the breast, for the sternum is connected together on both
sides with the spine. The clavicle admits of most motion at the joint
of the shoulder, and this arises from its connection with the acromion.
And, moreover, when broken, the part which is connected with the sternum
flies upward, and is not easily forced downward; for it is naturally
light, and there is more room for it above than below. But the shoulder,
the arm, and the parts connected with them, are easily moved from
the sides and breast, and, on that account, they admit of being considerably
elevated and depressed. When, therefore, the clavicle is broken, the
fragment attached to the shoulder inclines downward, for it inclines
much more readily
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