C 6 S9 ] 
wounding the humeral artery by the knife; id, the 
laceration of the artery by bringing out the ends of 
the bones; and, 3d, that we had no authority for 
fuch an operation. As to the firft, that was eaffiy 
obviated, by making the incifion on the fide of the 
arm oppofite to the humeral artery. The place of 
election appeared to me, to be at the external and 
lower edge of the deltoid mufcie, as the fradture was 
very near to the infertion of that mufcie into the hu- 
merus, the danger of wounding the veftel not only 
being by that means avoided, but after the operation, 
while the patient was confined to his bed, the matter 
would be prevented from lodging, and the wound be 
eafily come at, to renew the dreffings. The fecond 
objection will not appear to be very great, when we 
confider, that in compound fractures, the bone is fre- 
quently thruft with great violence through the inte- 
guments, and feldom attended with the laceration of 
any confiderable artery, and as this would be done 
with great care and caution, that danger would ap- 
pear very trifling. The third and laft Objection is no 
more than a general one to all improvements. 
This method, which I have been propofing, was at 
laft refolved upon, and I affifted in the operation, which 
was performed by a gentleman of great abilities in his 
profeflion, on the third of January, in the prefent year. 
The patient did not lofe above a fpoonful of blood 
in the operation, though the tourniquet was not made 
ufe of. When the operation and dreffings were 
finifhed, the limb was placed in a fradtu re-box con- 
trived on purpofe, the lad confined to his bed, and 
the reft of the treatment nothing different from that 
of a compound fradture. 
Vol. LJ. 
The 
