This is a very serious accident, and liable to occur in aged people. One that receives this injury cannot stand or rise from the ground. If the patient is placed upright the injured limb will be found much shorter than the other, and the foot turned outwards. What is called osseous union rarely if ever occurs in this fracture.

TREATMENT. -- In old persons support the limb by pillows and restrain all motion. This is all you can do. In other cases, make two splints, one reaching from the arm-pit to about six inches longer than the foot, the other from between the legs, extending to the same length. Pad these well, especially at the upper ends. Apply them to the inner and outer side of the leg and secure them with a bandage. Now make a foot-board with two mortised holes in it, through which the splints can pass. Bore holes in the lower ends of the splints every half inch. Put on the foot-board, and attach the foot to it firmly, then pull the foot-board down so as to stretch the leg well, for this secures what is called extension, which is necessary in these cases. The splints resting against the arm-pit and perinaeum affords what is called counter-extension. See in all cases that you have the leg straight.