The Case of Traditional Bonesetting and Orthopaedic Medical Curriculum

Abstract

A traditional bonesetter is a lay practitioner of bone manipulation, well versed-at least, according to the view of patrons and his community at large-in the medical art of restoring broken bones to full functionality. Agrawal opines that the traditional bonesetter in the modern day definition is "the unqualified practitioner who takes up the practice of healing without having had any formal training in accepted medical procedures" (Agarwal 2010, 8).Traditional bonesetting dates back to the period when modern homo sapiens began to hunt, and invariably began to suffer from fractures. As man matured in the management of bone injuries and its treatment, it became a specialized field such that certain individuals became custodians of the increasingly complex healing knowledge of bone manipulations and adjustments (Green 1999a, 258). Remains of the Neolithic man show evidence of fractures, splinted with what appears to be bark and sticks and secured with bandages (Beckett 1999, 7). Ancient people have been known to devise creative ways to immobilize fractured limbs. The Shoshone Indians wrapped broken limbs in strips of fresh rawhide that had been softened by soaking in water for days. The rawhide is left to dry and harden around the affected area, thereby protecting the injured area. Certain tribes in the Amazon are also known to use splints made from clay (Beckett 1999, 7).As human civilization expanded, specific people became known as healers and bonesetters, with the techniques often being transferred from one generation to another, almost always from father to son. The skills were mingled with spells and incantations, when appropriate in order to encourage healing. In Early History of Surgery, Bishop W.J noted that as early as 1900 BCE in Babylon, King Hammurabi organized a code of laws regulating medical practice, and stating penalties for infringement. Specifically, the "Ghallabu" or bonesetters who handled dental work, minor surgery and the branding of slaves were mentioned.The earliest known written instructions for bone surgery can be found in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, radiocarbon dated to 1600 BCE. In it, the appropriate treatment of fractures of the upper arm is described.

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