162 Injuries of Bone. 



Portion of the shaft of a femur — macerated, to show the above. 



The wound was received at the battle of Waterloo. 



The fracture has been oblique, but not comminuted. Near 

 the seat of fracture there have been large deposits of new periosteal 

 bone, but the margins of the fracture are smooth and apparently 

 necrotic, which explains why there has been no attempt at union. 

 In this, as in the previous cases, there has evidently been a 

 septic compound fracture. 



Figured in Hennen's "Military Surgery," 1st edition, plate ii. fig. 2. 



F. P. C. 222. 



Presented by Professor John Thomson. 



S. 335. Pistol-shot Fpacture of the Shaft of the Femur.— 



Lower part of the right femur of a woman — macerated, to show 

 the above. The fragments are wired in position. 



"Martha Holloway was shot with a horse pistol, said to be 

 loaded with four slugs, and at the distance of two feet from her. 

 The wound was on the fore and outer part of the thigh, and was 

 of the size to let in the points of three fingers. When the finger 

 was passed into the wound, a number of sharp splinters were felt. 

 The lower part of the thigh-bone was greatly retracted behind the 

 upper portion, and the limb was singularly misshapen. She refused 

 to submit to amputation. The wound was enlarged and the fascia 

 slit upwards and downwards. Two large portions of bone were ex- 

 tracted. The slugs could not be felt. Portions of slugs and dead 

 pieces of bone were discharged at diS"erent periods. Large abscesses 

 extended through the thigh, and there was no union of the bone eiglit 

 months after the accident, when the limb was amputated." 



The loose pieces of lione, wired to the bone near the seat 

 of fracture, have, from the character of their surface, evidently 

 been formed for the most part after the injury. 



On the main pieces the new bone thrown out and the 

 roughened condition of the surface indicate periosteal irritation, 

 while the spongy appearance of the broken ends points to a 

 septic form of caries, Avhich must have prevented union. 



B. C. XVII. 59. 



