During convalescence the little patient suffered an attack of measles, but after careful treatment it was found by the seventy-eighth day that she had recovered without bony deformity, and that there was bony union in all the fractures. There was slight tilting upward in the left femur, in which the fracture had been transverse, but there was no perceptible shortening.
Hulke describes a silver-polisher of thirty-six who, while standing near a machine, had his sleeve caught by a rapidly-turning wheel, which drew him in and whirled him round and round, his legs striking against the ceiling and floor of the room. It was thought the wheel had made 50 revolutions before the machinery was stopped. After his removal it was found that his left humerus was fractured at its lower third, and apparently comminuted. There was no pulse in the wrist in either the radial or ulnar arteries, but there was pulsation in the brachial as low as the ecchymosed swelling. Those parts of the hand and fingers supplied by the median and radial nerves were insensible. The right humerus was broken at the middle, the end of the upper fragment piercing the triceps, and almost protruding through the skin. One or more of the middle ribs on the right side were broken near the angle, and there was a large transverse rent in the quadriceps extensor. Despite this terrible accident the man made a perfect recovery, with the single exception of limitation of flexion in the left elbow-joint.
Dewey details a description of a girl of six who was carried around the upright shaft of a flour mill in which her clothes became entangled. Some part of the body struck the bags or stones with each revolution. She sustained a fracture of the left humerus near the insertion of the deltoid, a fracture of the middle third of the left femur, a compound fracture of the left femur in the upper third, with protrusion of the upper fragment and considerable venous hemorrhage, and fracture of the right tibia and fibula at the upper third. When taken from the shafting the child was in a moribund state, with scarcely perceptible pulse, and all the accompanying symptoms of shock. Her injuries were dressed, the fractures reduced, and starch bandages applied;in about six weeks there was perfect union, the right leg being slightly shortened. Six months later she was playing about, with only a slight halt in her gait.
Miscellaneous Multiple Fractures.--Westmoreland speaks of a man who was pressed between two cars, and sustained a fracture of both collar-bones and of the sternum; in addition, six or eight ribs were fractured, driven into and lacerating the lung. The heart was displaced. In spite of these terrible injuries, the man was rational when picked up, and lived nearly half a day. In comment on this case Battey mentions an instance in which a mill-sawyer was run over by 20 or 30 logs, which produced innumerable fractures of his body, constituting him a surgical curiosity. He afterward completely recovered, and, as a consequence of his miraculous escape, became a soothsayer in his region. West reports a remarkable recovery after a compound fracture of the femur, fracture of the jaw, and of the radius, and possibly injury to the base of the skull, and injury to the spine.
There is on record an account of a woman of forty-three who, by muscular action in lifting a stone, fractured her pubes, external to the spine, on the left side. Not realizing her injury she continued hard work all that day, but fell exhausted on the next.
She recovered in about a month, and was able to walk as well as ever.
Vinnedge reports recovery after concussion of the brain and extreme shock, associated with fracture of the left femur, and comminuted fractures of the left tibia and fibula.
Tufnell mentions recovery after compound comminuted fracture of the leg, with simple fracture of both collar-bones, and dislocation of the thumb. Nankivell speaks of a remarkable recovery in an individual who suffered compound comminuted fracture of both legs, and fracture of the skull. It was found necessary to amputate the right thigh and left leg. Erichsen effected recovery by rest alone, in an individual whose ribs and both clavicles were fractured by being squeezed.
Gilman records recovery after injuries consisting of fracture of the frontal bone near the junction with the right parietal;fracture of the right radius and ulna at the middle third and at the wrist; and compound fracture of the left radius and ulna, 11/4 inches above the wrist. Boulting reports a case of an individual who suffered compound fractures of the skull and humerus, together with extensive laceration of the thigh and chest, and yet recovered.
Barwell mentions recovery after amputation of the shoulder-joint, in an individual who had suffered fracture of the base of the skull, fracture of the jaw, and compound fracture of the right humerus. There was high delirium followed by imbecility in this case. Bonnet reports a case of fracture of both thighs, two right ribs, luxation of the clavicle, and accidental club-foot with tenotomy, with good recovery from all the complications. Beach speaks of an individual who suffered fracture of both thighs, and compound comminuted fracture of the tibia, fibula, and tarsal bones into the ankle-joint, necessitating amputation of the leg.
The patient not only survived the operation, but recovered with good union in both thighs. As illustrative of the numerous fractures a person may sustain at one time, the London Medical Gazette mentions an injury to a girl of fourteen, which resulted in 31 fractures.
Remarkable Falls.--In this connection it is of interest to note from how great a height a person may fall without sustaining serious injury. A remarkable fall of a miner down 100 meters of shaft (about 333 feet) without being killed is recorded by M.
