The Framework of the Body 45 



The ligaments cannot stretch, and so have to endure the 

 wrench upon the joint. The result is a sprained ankle. 



Next to the ankle, a sprain of the wrist is most common. 

 A person tries, by throwing out his hand, to save himself 

 from a fall, and the weight of the body brings the strain 

 upon the firmly fixed wrist. 



A sprain may be a slight affair, needing only a brief 

 rest, or it may be severe and painful enough to call for the 

 most skillful treatment by a surgeon. Lack of prompt 

 and proper care in treating sprains is often the cause of 

 a crippled ankle or knee. 



66. Dislocations. A fall or a blow may bring such a 

 sudden wrench or twist upon the ligaments as to force 

 a bone out of place. This displacement is known as a 

 dislocation. It should be treated by a surgeon at once. Any 

 delay or carelessness may make a serious and painful affair 

 of it, as the torn and bruised parts rapidly swell and 

 become extremely sensitive. 



67. Different Kinds of Fractures. The bones of the 

 body are often fractured or broken. The simple fracture 

 is the most common form, the bone being broken in a 

 single place with no opening through the skin. When 

 properly adjusted, the bone heals rapidly. When, besides 

 the broken bone, there is an opening through the soft parts 

 to the surface of the body, we have a compound fracture. 

 This is a serious injury and calls for prompt surgical 

 treatment. 



68. How Bones are broken. Bones may be broken by 

 direct violence, as when they are fractured at a certain 

 point by some powerful force, as a blow from a baseball 

 bat or a fall from a horse. Again, bones may be broken 

 by indirect violence, as when a person, being about to fall, 

 throws out his hand to save himself. The force of the 



