Southern Medical and Surgical Journal - Georgia Regents University

—790 Editorial [November,less we can lift up the point of each flap with ease from theparts underneath. This cannot be done unless our knife hasgone through the fascia, and made a crucial incision in it almostas extensive as in the skin. The wounds we have made shouldbe almost as deep at their extremities as in the centre, wherethey intersect. If we have made our incisions early, beforeactual sloughing has commenced, as we sometimes, though rarely,have an opportunity of doing, the flaps will curl up if the woundis deep enough, and will leave a widely gaping wound ; but ifwe do not see the anthrax until more or less of the skin is underminedand dead, the gaping of the wound will not be somarked, and the best testis the one I have given above, of liftingthe flaps with a forceps, and proving that they are loose. Ifthis rule is followed, we shall have few cases in which we mustcome and cut again. [Am. Jour, of Med. Sciences.EDITORIAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.A Convenient Fracture Apparatus.—About a year ago, we purchasedthe Fracture apparatus gotten up and improved by Dr. Welsh.We have since applied the various portions of it, to nearly every varietyof fracture, and are much pleased with the comfort it affords to thepatient, as well as with its great convenience of application and securityin maintaining proper coaptation. In a case of extensive gun shotwound of the leg, with fracture of the Tibia, we found the fracture-boxa most valuable means of keeping the injured limb quiet, while it admittedof the dressings being applied to wounded soft parts, with theutmost convenience. The splints for fracture of the fore-arm are light,and seem adapted to every variety of fracture in this region. But weare particularly pleased withthat portion of the apparatus intended forfractures of the humerus—high up. This splint consists of a trough ofthin material, which is fitted upon the outer side of the arm, while acap, attached by a hinge-joint, passes over the Deltoid and rests uponthe shoulder. This appears to us to be one of the most efficient andconvenient arrangements for the treatment of a variety of injuries inthe neighborhood of the shoulder joint, which we have ever seen. Itsmost striking advantage being that all the pressure of the splint is madeon the outer side of the arm, while the nerves and bloodvessels on theinner side, which every surgeon knows become very intolerant of pressurein fractures near the axilla, are almost entirely relieved from compression.We have particularized the above pieces, as having given us special