GuTishot Fractures of the Femur. 165 



Femur. — Lower portion of the shaft of a femiu- — macerated, to 

 illustrate the above. 



The knee had been completely detached by grape-shot at Waterloo. 

 ' ' This poor wretch' was not relieved by amputation for fifteen days after 

 the battle." 



The line of fracture is irregular, and two fissures run 

 upwards for about three inches. At the seat of fracture, the 

 bone is smooth. Round this there is a shallow groove of 

 separation, while beyond that the surface is rough, partly from 

 a slight crust of new periosteal bone, and partly from the 

 opening up of vascular pores. It is important to note the 

 extent to which these changes have been carried in a fortnight. 



B. C. XVII. 41. 



3. 343. Gunshot Fracture of the Lower End of a Femur. 



— Lower end of a left femur — macerated, to show the above. 

 One or two fragments have been driven into the interior. 



The patient was wounded at Waterloo. 



The marks of periostitis indicate that the patient must 

 have waited many days before amputation was performed. The 

 irregular growth of bone round the articular surface has been 

 due to arthritis deformans previous to the injury. 



r. p. C. 237. 



Presented hij Professor Johk Thomson. 



3. 344. Comminuted Gunshot Fracture of the Lower End 



of the Femur. — Lower two-thirds of a left femur — macerated 

 — fragments wired together to illustrate the above. 



"The knee, in this case, was completely driven off. It was fourteen 

 days before anything was done for the patient. The portion marked off 

 by the black line projected. Amputation, very high, was necessary, on 

 account of the great bag of matter." 



The articular end of the bone is in three pieces, and some 

 fragments of the adjacent part of the shaft are missing. The 

 upper fragment has indications of necrosis on the part which 



