(3) The same statement applies to fractured ribs.

(4) The nature of the injury to the kidney was not specified.

(5) These bruises were sufficient to keep the player out of the game.

(6) The character of the injuries was variable, but includes what is ordinarily spoken of as "strained back," which oftentimes leads to very marked disability for a considerable length of time.

(7) These were cases in which no cause for the synovitis was made out and does not include the synovitis following, for instance, a dislocated semilunar cartilage. The number of these cases was agreed by everybody to be much less than in previous years.

(8) In one case there had been a previous dislocation of the shoulder.

It must be accepted that the figures of the injuries received during the previous years are within the facts. The players were most of them extremely conscientious about answering the questions in the circular letter. On the other hand, the game appears to breed such a contempt for physical pain that many injuries which would appear severe to the ordinary individual were considered trivial by the players. For instance, one man, in answering the circular letter, answered the question, "How many injuries were received during 1905?" "Absolutely none whatever," although at that time he was being treated by one of us for a very large hematoma of the ear and had previously received a partial dislocation of the outer end of the collar bone, and an (unrecognized) fracture of the metacarpal bone. Our own record of the serious injuries of this year (1905), however, is complete.

The following general methods of treatment of the ordinary, acute injuries were adopted: There was almost no fixation of injured parts, except fractures and dislocations, throughout the entire season, as the men were anxious to return to play and it was our belief that fixation usually unduly prolongs the time of convalescence. In the ordinary sprains of joints and notably in the cases of acute knees, heat was used very extensively, either by means of hot bathing or by means of the "baking machine." A large part of the acute injuries were treated by massage, with most remarkable and satisfactory results. We had, almost throughout the season, the attendance of a most efficient masseur, whose work was highly satisfactory. When a sprained or injured joint was unusually tender, partial fixation was accomplished by means of compression bandages, but in no case of joint injury was there fixation by splints, and in only two cases of ruptured muscle was complete fixation carried out. For partial fixation we used a heavy layer of sheet wadding surrounded by the so-called "Ideal" bandage, which was found extremely satisfactory, comfortable and efficient.

Certain classes of injuries were common and these are mentioned under special headings.

Head injuries.--Cases of concussion were frequent, both during practice and games. In fact, but two games were played during the entire season in which a case of concussion of the brain did not occur. There were several noticeable features in these cases. Frequently, the fact that a man had received a serious head injury was noticed by the surgeon from the side-lines before it was recognized by the players. This was due to the fact that a player might, apparently, automatically run through a considerable series of plays before his mates noticed that he was mentally irresponsible. The mental state of the players who had concussion was variable, some being highly excitable and hysterical, others merely confused, and in a few cases, knocked completely unconscious. In every case there was a certain loss of memory, both previous and subsequent to the injury. The loss of memory previous to the injury varied from a few minutes to a week. In all cases also there was a loss of memory as to the facts occurring for a variable time subsequent to the injury. For instance, it was common to hear a player ask if he had played the first or second half of the game. In all cases the loss of memory was greater at first than it was after a few hours. For example, the man who had lost his memory of events which occurred for a week before the injury, ultimately got to a point where he remembered everything up to within an hour or so. Players who had had concussion were at once carefully examined to exclude the possibility of middle meningeal hemorrhage and, during the earlier part of the season, were sent to their rooms or to their homes, with a companion, with strict orders that they were to be left alone at no time until noon of the following day. Later on in the season this method not seeming sufficient, the injured men were in every case compelled to go to the infirmary, where they remained over night. These precautions were taken to avoid the possibility of the occurrence of the middle meningeal hemorrhage with delayed symptoms. One case of middle meningeal hemorrhage did occur.

Concussion was treated by the players in general as a trivial injury and rather regarded as a joke. The real seriousness of the injury is not certain. Our own experience with the after-effects of the cases if not sufficient for us to draw any definite conclusions, but from conversation with various neurologists, we have obtained very various opinions in regard to the possibility of serious after-effects.

Dislocation of the outer end of the collar bone.--Partial and complete dislocations of the outer end of the collar bone were extremely numerous and were received in a variety of ways, some while tackling in the open, but the greater number of them were caused by the players having one shoulder caught in the pile with a mass of men fall in upon the unprotected shoulder. In but two cases was the dislocation a complete one, and in one of those cases the player received it very early in the game and finished a twenty-minute half with the collar bone and the scapula entirely separated. He was extremely fortunate to obtain no more serious results. One player on the second eleven played throughout the entire season with a complete dislocation received during a former season.

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[Here follow, with drawings, certain technical descriptions of injuries and their treatment.]

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