Question

Which of the following substances is used for fractured bones?
a. Plaster of Paris
b. Iron
c. Copper
d. Titanium

Answer 1

The crack in the bone is known fracture. The cause of fractures can be trauma, weakened bones or disease. After repositioning the bone, we need something that can be well moulded to the patient, and therefore it can support the bone more precisely.

Complete answer-
To solve this question we have to know the characteristics and uses of these substances.
Plaster of Paris (POP) casts are applied means of immobilising fractures, pre-operative protection and pain relief.
Iron is one of the essential elements important for blood production. The red blood cells of your blood contain iron pigment called the hemoglobin and in muscle cells called myoglobin. Hemoglobin is essential for carrying oxygen in your blood from the lungs to the tissues.
Copper is an essential nutrient together with iron, it enables the body to form red blood cells. Sufficient copper in the diet may help prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. It helps maintain healthy bones, nerves, blood vessels, and immune function, and it contributes to iron absorption.
Titanium was used in surgeries in the 1950s. Titanium is chiefly used in biomedical implants. It is the metal used for prosthetics, internal fixation, inner body implants, and instrumentation.

Thus the answer of the above question is (A) Plaster of Paris (POP) used for immobilising fractures, pre-operative protection and pain relief of fractured bones.

Note:
Patients with fractures in the long bones of the leg were placed in long narrow wooden boxes and the gaps filled with POP. However, this was bulky and alternatives were sought. The idea of incorporating POP in bandages was hit upon by two surgeons, Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov and Antonius Mathijsen in the 1850's.