FRACTURE OF THE LATERAL CONDYLE OF THE HUMERUS IN CHILDHOOD *

Judging by the lamentable late results of fracture of the lateral condyle of the humerus in children, which are encountered each year in our orthopaedic clinics, one may say without charge of unfairness that the medical profession has failed as yet to grasp the importance of this pathological lesion. Yet there is little excuse for this lack of under-standing, because the injury is one of the most characteristic of all the fractures in the region of the elbow, and much has been written in regard to it. The most probable explanation is that many physicians do not comprehend the true nature of the pathology and depend upon the re-markable healing and restorative powers possessed by children to accom-plish more than is possible under the circumstances. Also, this is one of the less common fractures of the elbow and physicians may not encounter it frequently enough to be able to differentiate it and put it in a class apart from other injuries of the lower end of the humerus. Whether these reasons are correct or not, it is true that this fracture seems t