Kitap 8
10
In the case of the leg it is equally important that one bone at least should be sound. One thing is common to fractures of leg and thigh, that after being bandaged the limb is laid in a gutter-splint. This splint should have two holes near the lower end, by which any fluid that has formed may run off; and there should be a stay for the sole of the foot both to support it and stop it from slipping backwards; and at the sides are slots so that when straps are passed through these, a kind of stay holds the leg and thigh as they have been set. If the leg is fractured, the splint should start from the sole; if the thigh, from about the ham up to the hip; if the fracture is near the head of the thigh, the hip should be included as well. It must not be overlooked, however, that if the thigh-bone is fractured it becomes shorter, for it never returns to its former state, and that afterwards the patient treads on the tips of the toes of that leg; but the disablement is much uglier when neglect is added to misfortune.
10
For a finger, it is enough to bandage it to a single strip of wood when the inflammation is over.
