This series of photographs will, perhaps, give the reader a better idea of the construction and application of the apparatus than anything else, except an actual demonstration on a patient with a fractured thigh.

Photo No. 1 shows the frame of the splint, (made of 3-16 in. iron, or No. 4 wire), the loops, A. A. at the upper end of the frame are for the accommodation of hook ends of the iron arch "I" which regulates the width of the upper part of the frame, and for the fastening of the upper corners of the hammock cloth to keep it from slipping down toward the knee.

The small wire loops B, B., soldered on at the corners of the foot end of the frame also answer a double purpose; first, they afford a place in which to pin the lower corners of the hammock cloth to prevent it slipping upward toward the knee; and second, for the passage of the extension strips in a manner to be described later.

c, c, c, c, are small wire rings soldered to the sides of the frame for the attachment of the small suspension cords with the tent blocks, d, d, d, d. The small suspension cords are made of cotton fish line commonly called "staging". The small tent blocks should be made of hard wood 1-3 in. thick, 3-4 in. wide and 2 in. long. The holes are burned through them 1-2 in. from either end, just large enough for the passage of the cords. One end of the cord is knotted at one hole and the other end is passed through the other hole in the reverse direction to give it a pinch so that it will not slip. The free ends of these small cords are now tied in the wire rings c, c, c, c, on the side of the frame and the loops are put over the hook on the spring scales "E." This in turn is fastened by means of the sash cord with large tent block "F." over a screw pulley in the ceiling.

Picture No. 2 is the same as No. I with the addition of the canvas or muslin hammock "H," which takes the place of the underlapping strips of bandage used by Hodgen. This hammock is split on either side for an inch or two at the corners and at the site of the cord rings (a, a-b, b, and c, c, c, c,) and it is made to fit the under side of the thigh and leg by means of safety pins along either side. In a case where there are wounds to be dressed this hammock can be made in two or more sections as desired.

Suppose, for example, that a simple fracture of the thigh is to be treated; photo No. 3 shows the limb being placed in the hammock. The leg, knee and thigh have first been cleansed and shaved and a three inch width of zinc oxide plaster applied along both sides of the leg from above the knee to the malleoli. At this point, pieces of muslin bandages are pinned to the ends of the plaster, because they will more easily pass through the loops b, b, and tie across the sole of the foot. The plaster strips may be reinforced (as in the illustration) by muslin roller from the ankle to the knee. (Note that the patient used for illustration has a sprained ankle encased in plaster. This has nothing to do with the extension strips applied above.

With the injured limb lying on a pillow, an assistant grasps the foot with one hand and making strong traction he slips the other under the calf and lifts the limb just high enough for the hammock to be slipped under it. This is best done by fastening the pins provisionally; then with one end of the arch "J" detached the hammock is slipped under the limb, pushed close up to the perineum and the arch put across and hooked.

Photograph No. 4 shows the suspension cords hooked up on the spring scales; the operators are in the act of pushing the splint well up to the perineum and tying the muslin strips (which have been pinned to the lower end of the traction strips. of adhesive plaster) through the loops b, b, and across the sole of the foot taking the place of the foot block.

When the application is thus completed and the small tent blocks and pins adjusted until the limb swings evenly the bed should be moved until the suspension rope to the ceiling is exactly perpendicular and the weight of the limb then noted as indicated by the spring scales; the foot of the bed is now elevated from four to eight inches, according to the weight of the patients body, and the bed rolled toward its head until the supporting cord is at the proper angle to make the required amount of traction. This is shown in No. 5, although the angle is hardly great enough. If now the original weight of the limb, as shown when the cord was perpendicular, is subtracted from the weight indicated by the scales with the cord at an angle the result will be the amount of pull that is being exerted upon the muscles of the thigh.