The broken bone is first replaced; then the hand and fingers bound on to the ball by carrying the roller around them until they are all immoveably confined. This plan has the disadvantage of confining the whole hand for the fracture of one metacarpal bone; the gutta-percha allows free use of all but the metacarpal bones. =Broken phalanges= are treated by bandaging them on to a slip of wood long enough to reach into the palm; the slip must be well padded, that the somewhat concave anterior surface of the digit may accommodate itself on the flat splint. If more than one finger be injured, and the fracture be compound, the splint should then reach up the palmar aspect of the forearm and hand. Fingers should be cut in it to correspond with the fingers to be fastened to the splint. =Fracture of the lower end of the Radius.=—_Colles’ Fracture._—The displacement in this fracture is mainly due to the lower end of the radius and the carpus being carried backwards while the shaft projects in front. _Apparatus._—1. A straight splint of wood. A second splint, curved at its lower end. 2. Pads and cotton wool. 3. A roller 2 inches wide. 4. A sling. 5. A strip of plaster. The objects to be attained in treating this fracture are to press the lower fragment forwards and to draw (adduct) the hand towards the ulnar side of the limb. For this purpose a straight and a curved splint are used. No bandage should be placed under the splints in treating any fracture of the shaft of the radius or ulna, lest the broken ends be pressed into the interosseous space. Step 1. Prepare the splints. The straight splint should reach, when the arm is bent, to a right angle with the thumb upwards, from a little below the inner condyle to the lower end of the upper fragment or shaft; the curved or pistol splint extends from the outer condyle to the joint of the first and second phalanges. The width of both splints should slightly exceed that of the forearm. The bend of the lower end of the pistol splint should be abrupt, and directed towards the ulnar border opposite the wrist, where the margin of the splint should make an obtuse angle of about 1½ right angles (see fig. 28). [Illustration: Fig. 28.—Pistol Splint for fracture of the Radius near the lower end.] Pads used with these and other wooden splints are made of layers of cotton wool, carded sheep’s wool, tow, or folds of old blanket. These materials should be stitched in old linen or calico, and covered outside with oiled silk where likely to be stained with the discharge from wounds. The pads must be thicker below than above, to keep the splints parallel along the forearm; and that of the pistol splint is thickest opposite the carpus, to push the lower fragment forwards.