It is not often that the aid of a special instrument is needed to adjust the ends of a fractured bone properly. There are, however, some fractures of the long bones, particularly of the femur, in which the powerful muscles with their enormous leverage may so hold the displaced fragments that it would appear almost impossible to bring them into their proper apposition. It is absolutely necessary to obtain a good apposition, and it is equally necessary that the axial center be established as near normal as possible.
These are the weighty points of Lane's operation, which elicits such highly successful results. Unless these conditions can be satisfactorily demonstrated, the operation must be looked on as a failure and the whole object becomes one of defeat.
The clamp shown in the illustration is the outcome of considerable study. It was the object to create an instrument that was practical and