Title
The Treatment of Fractures (1905)
Author
Charles Locke Scudder, M.D.
Image
Description
This 1905 edition of The Treatment of Fractures by Dr. Charles L. Scudder offers a comprehensive survey of fracture management at the turn of the 20th century. With an impressive 739 illustrations—including detailed X-ray plates—this authoritative work demonstrates the surgical, non-surgical, and often unconventional techniques used to treat trauma long before modern orthopedics.
Condition
The cloth cover shows moderate wear, with some scuffing on the spine. Interior pages are intact, well-bound, and include numerous crisp radiographic illustrations and anatomical diagrams.
Gallery
Historical context
Dr. Scudder served as surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and was instrumental in integrating radiography into orthopedic practice. His work was one of the earliest to blend clinical orthopedic technique with diagnostic imaging, ushering in a new era of trauma care. In this fifth edition, the preface highlights new X-ray plates and reflects an evolving understanding of femoral neck fractures and their management.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The clavicle fracture section features multiple cases from the Warren Museum, showing displacement and non-displacement examples.
Chapter VII covers not only clavicle fractures in adults and children but also includes surgical intervention techniques.
The book mentions the “recumbent treatment,” a strategy for immobilization via mattress and pillow—essentially the 1905 equivalent of home traction.
Excerpt
“The treatment of fractures of the neck of the femur is gradually undergoing a change which may prove to be a very radical one.”
— Preface to the Fifth Edition, 1905
Why it is in the Cabinet
This book stands out in the Cabinet for its meticulous attention to skeletal trauma and its sheer visual documentation. The early use of X-ray technology pairs beautifully with the clinical insights, making it a milestone in fracture care literature and a prized addition to the collection.