Boerhaave cites a curious instance in which a surgeon attempted to stop hemorrhage from a wounded radial artery by the application of a caustic, but the material applied made such inroads as to destroy the median artery and thus brought about a fatal hemorrhage.
Spontaneous fractures are occasionally seen, but generally in advanced age, although muscular action may be the cause.

There are several cases on record in which the muscular exertion in throwing a stone or ball, or in violently kicking the leg, has fractured one or both of the bones of an extremity.

In old persons intracapsular fracture may be caused by such a trivial thing as turning in bed, and even a sudden twist of the ankle has been sufficient to produce this injury.

In a boy of thirteen Storrs has reported fracture of the femur within the acetabulum.

In addition to the causes enumerated, inflammation of osseous tissue, or osteoid carcinoma, has been found at the seat of a spontaneous fracture.
One of the most interesting subjects in the history of surgery is the gradual evolution of the rational treatment of dislocations.