Fractures of the Femur. 123 



This . . . demonstrates that splinters in fracture are sometimes broken 

 off, and again adhere even to other surfaces than those from which they 

 were broken, and that splinters do not necessarily lose their principle 

 of life." 



W. C. G. 4. 



3. 217. United Fracture of the Shaft.— Lower portion of the 



shaft of a femur — macerated. A section is removed from the 

 fractured portion, to more clearly illustrate the mode of union. 



The section shows that the ends of the medullary cavity 

 have been closed by a thin plate of bone, and that the interval 

 between the broken ends is occupied by cancellous tissue, which 

 has a thin, compact plate on the outside continuous with the 

 adjacent surfaces of each fragment of the shaft. The upper 

 fragment over-rides in front of the lower, and is set at an 

 angle to it. B. C i. 1. M. 32. c. 



3. 218. Somewhat recent Compound Fracture of the Shaft. 



— Portion of the shaft of a femur — muscles removed, to illus- 

 trate the above — in spirit. 



From a patient 65 years 'of age, in the Royal Infirmary, wlio 

 received a compound fracture near the middle of the bone. Several of 

 his ribs were also broken, and he suffered considerably from inflammation 

 of his lungs. He was affected with jaundice, and erysipelas of the 

 injured leg came on five days after the injury. Extensive abscesses took 

 place, his pulse intermitted, his limbs became cedematous, diarrhoea came 

 on, and he died six weeks after the injury. 



The broken extremities of the bone seem to be dead, but 

 have not had time to become loose. There has been no attempt 

 at union. G. C. 2225. 



Presented by Alexander Watson, Esq. , 1839. 



3.219. Comparatively recent Compound Fracture of the 



Shaft. — Lower end of a left femur — macerated, showing the 

 changes dependent upon the above. 



