Breaking a leg

[L Verge]

Thanks, Bill. I know that Kauffman did check with a national library in Maryland (I believe) that dealt with injuries sustained in horse-related accidents, and that is what he determined.

Next question: If Booth did break his leg at Ford's, we have had a number of doctors "testify" to us that the type of break would not have prevented him from mounting the horse and riding glibly by Sgt. Cobb at the bridge. Therefore, is it safe to ask if, once Booth had been in the stirrups for awhile, that leg that had been held in place by the high boot wouldn't begin to swell and cause pain? If that were the case, could Booth have ridden with his left leg free of the stirrup in order to relieve pain? Would the horse falling then cause further damage to an already broken leg? Or, back to my original speculation, could he have swung that leg up and out of the way more freely?

Finally, I am at home and away from the stack of books at work. In Herold's lengthy statement of April 27, does he specifically say that he was with Booth when the horse fell? I know that he said he helped Booth back on his horse, but that could mean that he came upon Booth after the fall. If that is the case, we have only Booth's word to go on, and I will refer you back to Booth putting the fall in the proper sequence of events as he described them in his diary.