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Fractures
Although tuberculosis is the main focus of the Stannington Sanatorium records, the patient files do also allude to other medical phenomena, such as fractures. This allows us to see, not only the medical treatment provided, but also give a glimpse into sanatorium life for the children residing there.
One example is Patient 63/1946, a four year old boy re-admitted to Stannington in July 1944 with P.T. minus, a categorisation of pulmonary tuberculosis. In January 1946 this boy fractured his left clavicle as the result of fighting with another boy, no further details are provided about the cause of the injury. His x-ray report states no displacement was suffered during the breakage and strapping was applied whilst it healed. The x-ray report notes the stages of his fracture healing:
14/01/1946 Fracture of the left clavicle, no displacement.
24/01/1946 Left clavicle - good position, see primary callus formation.
18/02/1946 Clavicle: fracture still presents.
21/03/1946 Clavicle: callus formation proceeding satisfactorily.
This demonstrates a straightforward fracture healing, not all were this simple.
Patient 172/1952, a boy of 6 years, was admitted December 1952 with tuberculosis of the right hip. As part of his treatment for TB of the hip he was fitted with a Thomas Splint and patten and given crutches to aid in his getting around. In November 1954, this boy fell whilst trying to walk around the ward without the support of his crutches; he sustained an oblique fracture to the upper and middle third of his femur.
As a result of the incident the Wansbeck Hospital Management Committee requested a report be made in case further legal action was to be taken. The report submitted by the Stannington Medical Superintendent reads: "Boy is wearing a right sided Thomas' hip splint and patten and is supposed to be using crutches. He decided to cross the ward without crutches, slipped, and fell, sustaining a fracture of his left femur... The fracture was reduced under light anaesthesia, the leg immobilised in Gooching splinting and the boy was transferred to the Orthopaedic Department of the Royal Victoria Infirmary."
The boy returned from the RVI in full leg plaster on the 1st December 1954. From there the fracture healed well with good union. He was taken out of plaster just before Christmas 1954 but was put under strict bed rest. By the time he was discharged in July 1955 the fracture had fully healed and the bone 'soundly united.'
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