Fainting is most common in young women ; next so, in weakly old people ot either sex. In these last it is most danger- ous, and may in them easily end in death. What happens in a faint is this ; the heart gives out, and sends no fresh blood to the brain ; the brain fails, therefore, to maintain consciousness, and the person falls. This fall is advantageous, because it causes more blood to flow to the brain, and, conscious- ness being renewed, the heart also having less laborious work when the body is level, all starts again. A crowded and close room is a frequent place for fainting. Fright, the sight of blood, and other mental causes, as well as fatigue, may produce it, in those lia- ble to it. Some persons never faint, through a long lifetime ; others do so often, even on very small occasions. What to do for fainting ? Lay the person down at once. Get the crowd, if there be one, to move away. Open the windows, or carry the unconscious patient (horizon- tally) out into the fresh air. Sprinkle cold water on the face ; loosen everything about the neck and chest ; hold smelling-salts, for a moment at a time, under the nostrils. An ordinary syncopal attack will thus soon pass away. Fractures. — Broken Bones. — Most fre- quently broken is the radins ; the thumb- side bone of the forearm, which is most closely connected with the hand. We may break it by falling on the hand with force. In the same way also the 2ilna may be frac- tured ; the other bone of the forearm. Next often broken is the bone of the arm (hume- rus) above the elbow ; and frequently also the clavicle, or collar-bone. After these (besides fractures oiW^^ fingers), come frac- BROKEX ARM IN SPLINTS tures of the larger bone of the leg {tibia, shin-bone) below the knee ; the thigh-bone {femur) \ of the ribs ; of the knee-pan ; and of the nose, lower jaw, and skull. We know a bone to be broken by the change in its shape ; the pain caused by every movement ; and the crackling noise (not loud), and crackling feeling to the touch, produced when the parts are moved. A broken limb is generally shortened ; the muscles above and below the place of frac- ture drawing the two pieces so as to overlap 543 8o THE FAMIL Y DOCTOR each other. When the break is near a joint, it is sometimes diflQcult to be sure whether there is a fracture or a dislocation. This difficulty is much increased when swelling and inflammation follow, some hours after an injury. In examining to determine a change of shape in a limb, always compare it with its own fellow, on the opposite side of the body. The two are almost sure, when sound, to be alike ; and if not so after one is hurt, this will help us to an understand- ing of the case. There is a change of shape also in dislocations ; but in them the bones cannot be moved without great resist- ance ; t h e r e is no crackling (crepita- tion) heard or felt ; and when the bone is put back in its right place, it will stay there. The most serious fractures are those called compouyid fractures ; in which there is a wound of the flesh, communi- cating with the broken ends of the bone. Sometimes one end of a fragment is forced quite out through the skin.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Fainting is most common in young women ; next so, in weakly old people ot either sex. In these last it is most dangerous, and may in them easily end in death. What happens in a faint is this ; the heart gives out, and sends no fresh blood to the brain ; the brain fails, therefore, to maintain consciousness, and the person falls. This fall is advantageous, because it causes more blood to flow to the brain, and, consciousness being renewed, the heart also having less laborious work when the body is level, all starts again. A crowded and close room is a frequent place for fainting. Fright, the sight of blood, and other mental causes, as well as fatigue, may produce it, in those liable to it. Some persons never faint, through a long lifetime ; others do so often, even on very small occasions. What to do for fainting ? Lay the person down at once. Get the crowd, if there be one, to move away. Open the windows, or carry the unconscious patient (horizontally) out into the fresh air. Sprinkle cold water on the face ; loosen everything about the neck and chest ; hold smelling-salts, for a moment at a time, under the nostrils. An ordinary syncopal attack will thus soon pass away. Fractures. — Broken Bones. — Most frequently broken is the radins ; the thumbside bone of the forearm, which is most closely connected with the hand. We may break it by falling on the hand with force. In the same way also the ulna may be fractured ; the other bone of the forearm. Next often broken is the bone of the arm (humerus) above the elbow ; and frequently also the clavicle, or collar-bone. After these (besides fractures of fingers), come frac- BROKEX ARM IN SPLINTS tures of the larger bone of the leg {tibia, shin-bone) below the knee ; the thigh-bone {femur) \ of the ribs ; of the knee-pan ; and of the nose, lower jaw, and skull. We know a bone to be broken by the change in its shape ; the pain caused by every movement ; and the crackling noise (not loud), and crackling feeling to the touch, produced when the parts are moved. A broken limb is generally shortened ; the muscles above and below the place of fracture drawing the two pieces so as to overlap 8o each other. When the break is near a joint, it is sometimes diflQcult to be sure whether there is a fracture or a dislocation. This difficulty is much increased when swelling and inflammation follow, some hours after an injury. In examining to determine a change of shape in a limb, always compare it with its own fellow, on the opposite side of the body. The two are almost sure, when sound, to be alike ; and if not so after one is hurt, this will help us to an understanding of the case. There is a change of shape also in dislocations ; but in them the bones cannot be moved without great resistance ; t h e r e is no crackling (crepitation) heard or felt ; and when the bone is put back in its right place, it will stay there. The most serious fractures are those called compound fractures ; in which there is a wound of the flesh, communicating with the broken ends of the bone. Sometimes one end of a fragment is forced quite out through the skin.

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