In the treatment of fractures of the shaft of the humerus, much difficulty is often encountered in getting apposition of the fragments and then holding them in place by the methods commonly in use.
The forms of apparatus most commonly used consist essentially of an axillary pad, coaptation splints, an internal angular splint, a shoulder cap, either of felt or of plaster of Paris, and a cravat sling to support the forearm at the wrist. It may easily be seen that the amount of traction obtained with such an apparatus depends directly on the downward pull which the weight of the forearm exerts on the lower fragment.
In certain cases in which reduction is difficult, an internal angular splint is applied and active traction is obtained by means either of a weight which is hung on the internal angular splint close to the elbow, or