discharge matter, indicating that the bone is diseased.
At the same time, the sinews of the limb affected give signs of
contraction, and the heel soon refuses to come to the ground in
walking. There is clearly a lack of vital energy, such as is wanted to
heal the bone and nourish the leaders in this limb: this lack may have
been showing itself for years. Apply the ARMCHAIR FOMENTATION (_see_).
Soon the sores begin to put on a healthier appearance, and ere long
they heal up. With this and the rubbing, the sinews begin to relax and
lengthen out, so that the heel comes nearer the ground. The limb may
even have become smaller than the other, but it grows so as to come up
with the healthy one: this will be the case though the fomentation is
done equally to both. It is a curious thing that the body is so
constituted that general healthy growth tends to bring on weaker parts
more rapidly than stronger ones, so as to restore proper proportions.
The new force applied to the roots of nerves on both sides of the spine
does not make the healthy limb grow so as to keep in advance of the
weakened one; it makes the weakened one grow so as to come up with the
healthier. You do not therefore need to confine the fomenting to one
side; it is better to apply it equally to both sides, and to leave the
laws of the constitution to arrange all matters as to proportion. These
laws never fail to do so perfectly. In the hands of a really skilful
surgeon, much may be done to remedy diseased bone by the modern methods
of antiseptic treatment and operation, but where these are not
available, the above treatment has most excellent effects, and has
sometimes cured where the surgeon has failed.

Limbs, Fractured.--It is not always easy to say definitely whether a
bone is broken or not. In general, however, the following are signs of
fracture:--(1) Loss of power in the limb; (2) Swelling or pain at the
injured spot; (3) Distortion of the limb, usually shorter than natural;
gentle pulling makes it temporarily regain its natural position; (4)
When the limb is gently moved, it moves at some spot between the
joints, and a grating sound is heard; (5) In case of a bone which lies
near the skin, a touch will perceive the irregularity due to the
fracture.

Pending the surgeon's arrival, if there is a fracture, do not attempt
to move the patient till the limb is so secured that the broken bone is
prevented from moving. If the arm bone is broken, put one spli