If an arm or a leg is broken, it is straightened and small wood splints are tied around it to keep the bones in place. For a broken rib, the person’s torso is wrapped tight with an animal skin, and for a broken spine, the person must remain on his or her back on a flat surface.
Dislocated bones are snapped back into place. There is no set way of doing this. It all depends on how the injury happened, but it is a difficult operation. The patient must relax because tense muscles can get in the way of the bone. One man told us that, “when you have a dislocated knee, it is very painful to even have someone talk to you.”
For a bad bruise or sprain, raw or frozen meat is applied to the area. Seal meat is best.
