How to set almost any type of Fracture; Fractures, Hippocrates

 Why you might read Fractures?

Fractures is the first surgical text that we have seen. As such it fills a gap about how injuries were treated. It is systematic, as we have come to expect from Hippocrates.

In my Self Education project, it starts to fill that gap of how injuries were treated. Injuries being the other part of medicine. It also gives insight into how dangerous a bone break was at the time.

Content of Fractures

The title sums it up nicely! This work covers a complete set of breaks for the arms and legs. It includes breaks that come out through the skin as well as simple breaks. 

Hippocrates starts with basic breaks of the arms and details how to realign them. He moves onto how to bandage them. He then discusses when to change the bandages and when to splint the break. Interestingly he does not recommend splinting until the seventh day. This is after some of the inflammation has gone down. He then moves onto the hands and feet. Then he details broken legs. Interestingly his advice is almost the same for the different types of breaks. He moves onto breaks that break the skin. He spends time dispelling some of the things others do. For example, wrapping around the injury but no the injury itself. He goes on to recommend wrapping with wide bandages. And then treating it very similarly to other breaks. Finally, he deals with dislocations. He instructs how to put back all variations for dislocations for knee, wrist, ankle and elbow. Some even require a group of strong men to be effective.

Reflections on Fractures

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As I mentioned in the content, Hippocrates actually recommends very similar methods for bandaging. The realignments differ and are given for every type of break. He also recommends waiting for the swelling to come down before setting the bone. Today we set the bone straight away but we do tend to put on looser casts until the swelling comes down.

Hippocrates explains how to design mechanical contraptions. The purpose of these is to help with traction and setting bones without other people.  It is interesting though I found it a little hard to picture in my mind. He seems to think they are helpful but is also very clear that they can be done without

Hippocrates is clear when there is likely to be ongoing issues. For example with shortening of the bone making a person lame. This really hammered home to me how much more dangerous bone breaks were at the time. As well as how easily even a treated break could go wrong.

What others have to say about Fractures

Actually, the internet is rather silent about this work. That being said there are many places you can find a copy of the text online.

Comparisons with other texts

Like Aphorisms, Fracture is to the point. They both cover the exact treatment for different illness or injuries. Aphorisms covers a wide range of illnesses. By contrast, Fractures systematically moves through the possible fractures of the limbs.

Unlike Traditions in Medicine, Hippocrates is not focused on food. He does mention diet a little but it is not the overwhelming way to treat things like it is in some of his other works. Fractures is a more practical manual for a more practical problem.

Conclusion

Fractures is a fairly detailed treatment of fractures of the limbs. It covers them in a logical sequence from the bottom of the leg to the top. Also, it adds in the arms alongside there analogous parts of the leg. For example, the ankle is dealt with then the wrist. I could not find anyone else on the internet commenting on this work. It is a very different work from what we have seen from Hippocrates to this point. 

Have you read Fractures? If so what did you think of it? 

 
Want to read Fractures but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of Fractures.