eks and a strip of adhesive plaster
wound about the finger to support it for a week or two more.

In fracture of the thumb, the splint is applied along the back instead
of on the palm side.

=HIP FRACTURE.=

_First Aid Rule.--Put patient flat on back in bed, with limb wedged
between pillows till surgeon arrives._

[Illustration: FIG. 24.

TREATING A BROKEN HIP (SCUDDER).

Note the manner of straightening leg and getting broken bone into
line; also assistant carefully steadying the thigh.]

A fracture of the hip is really a break of that portion of the thigh
bone which enters into the socket of the pelvic bone and forms the hip
joint. It occurs most commonly in aged people as a result of so slight
an accident as tripping on a rug, or in falling on the floor from the
standing position, making a misstep, or while attempting to avoid a
fall. When the accident has occurred the patient is unable to rise or
walk, and suffers pain in the hip joint. When he has been helped to
bed it will be seen that the foot of the injured side is turned out,
and the leg is perhaps apparently shorter than its fellow. There is
pain on movement of the limb, and the patient cannot raise his heel,
on the injured side, from the bed. Shortening is an important sign.

With the patient lying flat on the back and both legs together in a
straight line with the body, measurements from each hip-bone are made
with a tape to the bony prominence on the inside of each ankle, in
turn. One end of the tape is held at the navel and the other is swung
from one ankle to the other, comparing the length of the two limbs.
Shortening of less than half an inch is of no importance as a sign of
fracture. The fragments of broken bone are often jammed together
(impacted) so that it is impossible to get any sound of grating
between them, and it is very unwise to manipulate the leg or hip
joint, except in the gentlest manner, in an attempt to get this
grating. If the ends of the fragments become disengaged from each
other it often happens that union of the break never occurs.

[Illustration: FIG. 25.

TREATMENT FOR FRACTURED HIP (SCUDDER).

Note method of holding splints in place with muslin strips; one above
ankle, one below and one above knee, one in middle and one around
upper part of thigh.]

The treatment simply consists in keeping the patient quiet on a hard
mattress, with a small pillow under the knee of the injured side and
the limb steadied on either