Dr. Mudd's Diagnosis

[L Verge]

Sorry that I wasn't clearer - I have never thought that Booth had a compound fracture either at the time it happened or even later when his activity might have caused the bone to come through the skin. I was thinking more of damage that was occurring inside his leg to flesh, muscles, etc. that would only worsen day by day.

I have a museum volunteer right now that has been out of commission since the end of May due to a severe bruising (no break) of his shinbone only. That bruise has ended up encompassing a large portion of his lower leg and a "crater" where the infection ended up breaking through the skin days after what should have been a simple accident. He is now facing a series of skin grafts once they get the wound to heal from the inside out (which it is reluctant to do). That is the same sort of scenario that I envision occurring inside Booth's broken leg -- if Ruggles's description can be believed.