Trapeziometacarpal-I--Symposium: The Classic: On Fracture of the

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Metacarpal Bone of the Thumb. Bennett-Edward-H. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 1987 Jul. 220. pp 3-6. Copyright 1987 by J. B. Lippincott Company. 13 OF 20. "On July 18th, 1885, I was riding a horse over a water pump, in front of which, at the height of three feet, there was fixed a pole. The ground being very soft, the horse slipped on his hind feet, at the same time trying to raise his fore legs for the jump. He, however, only managed to get one fore leg over the pole, which he, in consequence, carried with him across the water, and fell heavily on his right side. As he fell, he stretched out his neck, so that I, having the reins in my left hand, the point of my thumb was dashed with great violence against the pommel of the saddle, causing fracture of the base of the left first metacarpal bone, and dislocating the proximal phalanx on to the dorsal aspect of the metacarpal bone. On getting to my feet, I at once reduced the dislocation, and bound the thumb to the hand with a handkerchief, so as to keep it reduced, not noticing the other lesion. After this, I went to the nearest doctor, but, when I reached him, about half an hour after, my hand and *wrist* were so much swollen that he did not notice the fracture, but just left it as I had it. In about seven days, the swelling having gone down, I noticed a tumour at the base of the metacarpal bone, which I showed to the doctor, but he was unable to reduce it. The tumour still remains, but does not impede the movements of my hand in the least.".