Practical surgery / by Robert Liston.

  • Liston, Robert, 1794-1847.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical surgery / by Robert Liston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    FRACTURES OF THE JAW AND SPIXE. often followed by inflammatory swelling, and sometimes by abscess and destruction of the cartilages and bones. The parts are easily replaced by the introduction of a strong probe, or closed dressing forceps, into the cavities; an uncut quill will answer the purpose, if no other instrument is to be had. The bones are thus pressed into their places, and moulded by the fingers of the hand not otherwise employed; there is no great risk of their being again displaced, consequently no retentive apparatus is necessary. Inflammatory action may require to be moderated by general or local bleeding, purgatives, and fomentation. Abscess of the septum, if it occur, is to be opened early. Fracture of the superior maxilla generally occurs from direct violence—gunshot wound for instance. It may be occasioned by a blow on the malar bone. A man lately presented himself at University College Hospital, who had slipped on a slide in the street, fell and struck with great violence the malar bone of the left side; he had sustained a vertical fracture through the orbitar process of the superior maxilla. In severe com- pound fracture this injury would easily be detected: in simple fracture, a fissure or slight irregularity would be felt, but much displacement rarely occurs. In severe compound fracture, if any of the bones were splintered, the fragments should be pick- ed out, and the subsequent inflammation subdued by leeches, fomentations, and the usual constitutional treatment. Fracture extending into the antrum may cause subsequent abscess of that cavity, which will be treated of in another part of this work. Fracture of the inferior maxilla is not unfrequently met with—the result of force applied either directly to the place which has given way, or to some distant part of the bone. It may be struck at the symphysis, and yield on one or both sides near the angle; or the force may have been applied to one side, and the solution of continuity may be found to have taken place at the other, about the insertion of the canine or first molar tooth. This fracture is always attended with wound of the gums and lining membrane of the mouth, with loosening of the teeth and loss of blood; there is often great splintering, and not unfrequently also wound of the integument. There is uniformly