MEN’Sheadsarebynomeansallliketooneanother，norarethesuturesoftheheadofallmenconstructedinthesameform。Thus，whoeverhasaprominenceintheanteriorpartofthehead（byprominenceismeanttheroundprotuberantpartofthebonewhichprojectsbeyondtherestofit），inhimthesuturesoftheheadtaketheformoftheGreeklettertau，T;fortheheadhastheshorterlinerunningtransversebeforetheprominence，whiletheotherlinerunsthroughthemiddleofthehead，allthewaytotheneck。Butwhoeverhastheprominenceinthebackpartofthehead，inhimthesuturesareconstructedinquitetheoppositeformtotheformer;forinthiscasetheshorterlinerunsinfrontoftheprominence，whilethelongerrunsthroughthemiddleallalongtotheforehead。Butwhoeverhasaprominenceoftheheadbothbeforeandbehind，inhimthesuturesresembletheGreekletteretaE;forthelonglinesoftheletterruntransversebeforeeachprominencewhiletheshortonerunsthroughthemiddleandterminatesinthelonglines。ButwhoeverhasnoprominenceoneitherparthehasthesuturesoftheheadresemblingtheGreekletterchi;fortheonelinecomestransversetothetemplewhiletheotherpassesalongthemiddleofthehead。Theboneatthemiddleoftheheadisdouble，thehardestandmostcompactpartbeingtheupperportion，whereitisconnectedwiththeskin，andthelowest，whereitisconnectedwiththemeninx（duramater）;andfromtheuppermostandlowermostpartsthebonegraduallybecomessofterandlesscompact，tillyoucometothediploe。Thediploeisthemostporous，thesoftest，andmostcavernouspart。Butthewholeboneofthehead，withtheexceptionofasmallportionoftheuppermostandlowermostportionsofit，islikeasponge;andthebonehasinitmanyjuicysubstances，likecaruncles;andifonewillrubthemwiththefingers，somebloodwillissuefromthem。Therearealsointhebonecertainveryslenderandhollowvesselsfullofblood。Soitiswithregardtohardness，softness，andporosity。
2。Inrespecttothicknessandthinness;thethinnestandweakestpartofthewholeheadisthepartaboutthebregma;andthebonetherehasthesmallestandthinnestcoveringoffleshuponit，andthelargestproportionofbrainissituatedinthatregionofthehead。
Andhenceithappensthatfromsimilarorevensmallerwoundsandinstruments，whenapersoniswoundedtothesameoralessdegree，theboneoftheheadthereismorecontused，fractured，anddepressed;
andthatinjuriestherearemoredeadlyandmoredifficulttocure;
anditismoredifficulttosaveone’slifeininjuriestherethaninanyotherpartofthehead;thatfromhavingsustainedasimilarorevenalesswoundamanwilldie，andthat，too，inashorterspaceoftimethanfromawoundinanyotherpartofthehead。Forthebrainaboutthebregmafeelsmorequicklyandstronglyanymischiefthatmayoccurtothefleshorthebone;forthebrainaboutthebregmaisinlargestquantity，andiscoveredbythethinnestboneandtheleastflesh。Oftheotherportions，theweakestisthataboutthetemples;
foritistheconjunctionofthelowerjawwiththecranium，andthereismotionthereupanddownasatajoint;andtheorganofhearingisnearit;andfurther，ahollowandimportantveinrunsalongthetemple。Butthewholeboneoftheheadbehindthevertexandtheearisstrongerthanthewholeanteriorpart，andtheboneitselfhasalargeranddeepercoveringoffleshuponit。Andhenceitfollows，thatwhenexposedtothesameorevengreaterinjuriesfrominstrumentsofthesameorgreatersize，theboneislessliabletobefracturedanddepressedthanelsewhere;andthatinafatalaccidentthepatientwilllivelongerwhenthewoundisintheposteriorpartoftheheadthanwhenelsewhere;andthatpustakeslongertimetoformandpenetratethroughthebonetothebrain，owingtothethicknessofthebone;andmoreover，asthereislessbraininthatpartofthehead，morepersonswhoarewoundedinthebackpartoftheheadescapethanofthosewhowoundedintheanteriorpart。Andinfatalcases，amanwillsurvivelongerinwinterthaninsummer，whateverbethepartoftheheadinwhichthewoundissituated。
3。Astothehaedrae（dintsormarks？）ofsharpandlightweapons，whentheytakeplaceinthebonewithoutfissure，contusion，ordepressioninwards（andthesetakeplaceequallyintheanteriorandposteriorpartofthehead），death，whenitdoesoccur，doesnotproperlyresultfromthem。Asutureappearinginawound，whentheboneislaidbare，onwhateverpartoftheheadthewoundmayhavebeeninflicted，istheweakestpointoftheheadtoresistabloworaweapon，whentheweaponhappenstobeimpingedintothesutureitself;
butmoreespeciallywhenthisoccursinthebregmaattheweakestpartofthehead，andthesutureshappentobesituatednearthewound，andtheweaponhashitthesuturesthemselves。
4。Theboneintheheadisliabletointhefollowingmodes，andtherearemanyvarietiesineachofthesemodesoffracture:Whenawoundedbonebreaks，inthebonecomprehendingthefissure，contusionnecessarilytakesplacewheretheboneisbroken;foraninstrumentthatbreakstheboneoccasionsacontusionthereofmoreorless，bothatthefractureandinthepartsofthebonesurroundingthefracture。Thisisthefirstmode。Butthereareallpossiblevarietiesoffissures;forsomeofthemarefine，andsoveryfinethattheycannotbediscovered，eitherimmediatelyaftertheinjury，orduringtheperiodinwhichitwouldbeofusetothepatientifthiscouldbeascertained。Andsomeofthesefissuresarethickerandwider，certainofthembeingverywide。Andsomeofthemextendtoagreater，andsometoasmaller，distance。Andsomearemorestraight，nay，completelystraight;andsomearemorecurved，andthatinaremarkabledegree。Andsomearedeep，soastoextenddownwardsandthroughthewholebone;andsomearelessso，anddonotpenetratethroughthewholebone。
5。Butabonemaybecontused，andyetremaininitsnaturalconditionwithoutanyfractureinit;thisisthesecondmode。Andtherearemanyvarietiesofcontusion;fortheyoccurtoagreaterorlessdegree，andtoagreaterdepth，soassometimestoextendthroughthewholebone;ortoalessdepth，soasnottoextendthroughthewholebone;andtoagreaterandsmallerlengthandbreadth。Butitisnotpossibletorecognizeanyofthesevarietiesbythesight，soastodeterminetheirformandextent;neither，indeed，isitvisibletotheeyeswhenanymischiefofthiskindtakesplace，andimmediatelyaftertheinjury，whetherornotthebonehasbeenactuallybruised，asislikewisethecasewithcertainfracturesatadistancefromtheseatofinjury。
6。Andthebonebeingfractured，issometimesdepressedinwardsfromitsnaturallevelalongwiththefractures，otherwisetherewouldbenodepression;forthedepressedportionbeingfracturedandbrokenoff，ispushedinwards，whiletherestoftheboneremainsinitsnaturalposition;andinthismannerafractureiscombinedwiththedepression。Thisisthethirdmode。Therearemanyvarietiesofdepression，foritmaycomprehendagreaterandasmallextentofbone，andmayeitherbetoagreaterdepth，orlessso，andmoresuperficial。
7。Whenahedra，ordintofaweapon，takesplaceinabone，theremaybeafracturecombinedwithit;andprovidedtherebeafracture，contusionmustnecessarilybejoined，toagreaterorlessextent，intheseatofthedintandfracture，andinthebonewhichcomprehendsthem。Thisisthefourthmode。Andtheremaybeahedra，orindentationofthebone，alongwithcontusionofthesurroundingbone，butwithoutanyfractureeitherinthehedraorinthecontusioninflictedbytheweapon。Buttheindentationofaweapontakesplaceinabone，andiscalledhedra，whentheboneremaininginitsnaturalstate，theweaponwhichstruckagainsttheboneleavesitsimpressiononthepartwhichitstruck。Ineachofthesemodestherearemanyvarieties，withregardtothecontusionandfracture，ifboththesebecombinedwiththehedra，orifcontusionalone，asithasbeenalreadystatedthattherearemanyvarietiesofcontusionandfracture。Andthehedra，ordint，ofitselfmaybelongerandshorter，crooked，straight，andcircular;andtherearemanyvarietiesofthismode，accordingtotheshapeoftheweapon;andtheymaybemoreorlessdeep，andnarrowerorbroader，andextremelybroad。
Whenapartiscleft，thecleftornotchwhichoccursinthebone，towhateverlengthorbreadth，isahedra，iftheotherbonescomprehendingthecleftremainintheirnaturalposition，andbenotdriveninwards;forinthiscaseitwouldbeadepression，andnolongerahedra。
8。Abonemaybeinjuredinadifferentpartoftheheadfromthatonwhichthepersonhasreceivedthewound，andthebonehasbeenlaidbare。Thisisthefifthmode。Andforthismisfortune，whenitoccurs，thereisnoremedy;forwhenthismischieftakesplace，thereisnomeansofascertainingbyanyexaminationwhetherornotithasoccurred，oronwhatpartofthehead。
9。Ofthesemodesoffracture，thefollowingrequiretrepanning:thecontusion，whetherthebonebelaidbareornot;andthefissure，whetherapparentornot。Andif，whenanindentation（hedra）byaweapontakesplaceinaboneitbeattendedwithfractureandcontusion，andevenifcontusionalone，withoutfracture，becombinedwiththeindentation，itrequirestrepanning。Abonedepressedfrompositionrarelyrequirestrepanning;andthosewhicharemostpressedandbrokenrequiretrepanningtheleast;neitherdoesanindentation（hedra）withoutfractureandcontusionrequiretrepanning;nordoesanotch，provideditislargeandwide;foranotchandahedraarethesame。
10。Inthefirstplace，onemustexaminethewoundedperson，inwhatpartoftheheadthewoundissituated，whetherinthestrongerorweakerparts;andascertainrespectingthehairsaboutthewound，whethertheyhavebeencutoffbytheinstrument，andhavegoneintothewound;andifso，oneshoulddeclarethatthebonerunstheriskofbeingdenudedofflesh，andofhavingsustainedsomeinjuryfromtheweapon。Thesethingsoneshouldsayfromadistantinspection，andbeforelayingahandontheman;butonacloseexaminationoneshouldendeavortoascertainclearlywhetherthebonebedenudedoffleshornot;andifthedenudedbonebevisibletotheeyes，thiswillbeenough;butotherwiseanotherwiseanexaminationmustbemadewiththesound。Andifyoufindthebonedenudedoftheflesh，andnotsafefromthewound，youmustfirstascertainthestateofthebone，andtheextentofthemischief，andofwhatassistanceitstandsinneed。Oneshouldalsoinquireofthewoundedpersonhowandinwhatwayhesustainedtheinjury;andifitbenotapparentwhetherthebonehassustainedaninjuryornot，itwillbestillmorenecessary，providedthebonebedenuded，tomakeinquiryhowthewoundoccurred，andinwhatmanner;forwhencontusionsandfracturesexistinthebone，butarenotapparent，wemustascertain，inthefirstplacefromthepatient’sanswers，whetherornotthebonehassustainedanysuchinjuries，andthenfindoutthenatureofthecasebywordanddeed，withtheexceptionofsounding。Forsoundingdoesnotdiscovertouswhetherthebonehassustainedanyoftheseinjuriesornot;butsoundingdiscoverstousanindentationinflictedbyaweapon，andwhetherabonebedepressedfromitsnaturalposition，andwhetherthebonebestronglyfractured;allwhichmayalsobeascertainedvisiblywiththeeyes。
11。Andabonesustainsfractures，eithersofineastoescapethesight，orsuchasareapparent，andcontusionswhicharenotapparent，anddepressionfromitsnaturalposition，especiallywhenonepersonisintentionallywoundedbyanother，orwhen，whetherintentionallyornot，abloworstrokeisreceivedfromanelevatedplace，andiftheinstrumentinthehand，whetherusedinthrowingorstriking，beofapowerfulnature，andifastrongerpersonwoundaweaker。Ofthosewhoarewoundedinthepartsaboutthebone，orintheboneitself，byafall，hewhofallsfromaveryhighplaceuponaveryhardandbluntobjectisinmostdangerofsustainingafractureandcontusionofthebone，andofhavingitdepressedfromitsnaturalposition;whereashethatfallsuponmorelevelground，anduponasofterobject，islikelytosufferlessinjuryinthebone，oritmaynotbeinjuredatall。Ofthoseinstrumentswhich，fallinguponthehead，woundthepartsaboutthebone，ortheboneitself，thatwhichfallsfromaveryhighplace，andtheleastonalevelwiththepersonstruck，andwhichisatthesametimeveryhard，veryblunt，andveryheavy，andwhichistheleastlight，sharp，andsoft，suchaninstrumentwouldoccasionafractureandcontusionofthebone。Andthereismostdangerthatthebonemaysustaintheseinjuries，undersuchcircumstances，whenthewoundisdirectandperpendiculartothebone，whetherstruckfromthehandorfromathrow，orwhenanyobjectfallsupontheperson，orwhenheiswoundedbyfalling，orinwhateverwaythebonesustainsadirectwoundfromthisinstrument。Thoseweaponswhichgrazetheboneobliquelyarelessapttofracture，contuse，ordepressthebone，evenwhentheboneisdenudedofflesh;forinsomeofthosewoundsthusinflictedtheboneisnotlaidbareoftheflesh。Thoseinstrumentsmoreespeciallyproducefracturesinthebone，whetherapparentornot，andcontusions，andinwarddepressionofthebone，whicharerounded，globular，smoothonallsides，blunt，heavy，andhard;andsuchweaponsbruise，compress，andpoundtheflesh;andthewoundsinflictedbysuchinstruments，whetherobliquelyorcircularly，areround，andaremoredisposedtosuppurate，andtohaveadischarge，andtakelongertimetobecomeclean;forthefleshwhichhasbeenbruisedandpoundedmustnecessarilysuppurateandsloughaway。Butweaponsofanoblongform，being，forthemostpart，slender，sharp，andlight，penetratethefleshratherthanbruiseit，andtheboneinlikemanner;andsuchaninstrumentmayoccasionahedraandacut（forahedraandacutaresamething）;butweaponsofthisdescriptiondonotproducecontusions，norfractures，nordepressionsinwardly。Andinadditiontheappearancesinthebone，whichyoucalldetectbythesight，youshouldmakeinquiryastoalltheseparticulars（fortheyaresymptomsofagreaterorlessinjury），whetherthewoundedpersonwasstunned，andwhetherdarknesswasdiffusedoverhiseyes，andwhetherhehadvertigo，andfelltotheground。
12。Whenthebonehappenstobedenudedoffleshbytheweapon，andwhenthewoundoccursuponthesutures，itisdifficulttodistinguishtheindentation（hedra）ofaweaponwhichisclearlyrecognizedinotherpartsofthebone，whetheritexistornot，andespeciallyifthehedrabeseatedinthesuturesthemselves。Forthesuturebeingrougherthantherestoftheboneoccasionsconfusion，anditisnotclearwhichisthesuture，andwhichthemarkinflictedbytheinstrument，unlessthelatter（hedra）belarge。