238 Complicated Fracture of the Trochanters. 



hand when the fracture was first reduced, was applied 

 in its stead. The extension was maintained by means 

 of a tourniquet, the strap of which was passed through 

 the bands of the gater and the cross piece of board 

 which fastens the lower ends of the splints together. 

 By means of this contrivance, the extension could rea- 

 dily be increased, by degrees, and kept permanent. On 

 the third day, every thing appeared to be doing very- 

 well; but, on the morning of the fourth, the patient was 

 found standing on his sound leg, and supporting 

 himself by the bed-post, having removed, in deli- 

 rium, which came on in the night, the splints and 

 dressings entirely from his thigh. The muscles, by- 

 contracting, had again shortened the limb as much as 

 before the first reduction of the fracture. The dress- 

 ings were now re- applied, and, as the patient had been 

 accustomed to the stimulus of spirits, and was very 

 weak, the tincture of columbo and brandy- toddy were ad- 

 ministered to him, with three grains of opium, at night. 

 On the seventh day, a copious diarrhoea came on. In 

 consequence of this, and the excoriation of the but- 

 tocks, which was now considerable, it became neces- 

 sary to apply clean dressings daily; and, in his delirium, 

 which continued, the man kept his broken limb in con- 

 stant motion. On the tenth day, his diarrhoea, which 

 had been checked, came on more copiously than before, 

 and, resisting every attempt to restrain it, continued till 

 the twentieth. Mortification now commenced in seve- 

 ral places in the buttocks, to which a flaxseed poultice 



tion, so frequently takes place on die instep and heel, from the ex- 

 tending bandage of DessauU. 



