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KEEPING WELL 433 |
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apply hartshorn, baking-soda solution or salt water. Such solutions also will relieve mosquito bite.
Toy Pistol Wounds.—These and other wounds from fire-crackers, small cannons and fire-works require thorough washing with Synol Soap or Camphenol solution. Cover with antiseptic dressing and put case in surgeon's hands at once.
Broken Bones—Fractures
Fractures may be recognized by pain at a fixed point, the sound of a crack, mobility of limb at a point immovable before and irregularity of the bone surface at the painful point.
A simple fracture is one where the bone is broken but the skin is not pierced.
A compound fracture is one where the bone is broken and there is an opening from the outside air to the break.
Make patient comfortable; put limb in splints before attempting to move the patient.
For simple fractures nothing but putting the limb in splints is necessary.
For compound fractures, first bind up the wound and stop bleeding. Then put limb in splints.
In all fractures remove clothing from the injured part, preferably by ripping up the seams.
Always handle the fractured limb carefully.
Lay injured' limb upon splints well cushioned; bandage splints firmly so that fragments of bone will not move on each other. If fracture is compound, i.e., accompanied by a wound, put gauze next to the wound; cover with an absorbent cotton pad, then with bandage, and put limb in splints as in simple fracture. Do not bind splints directly upon the wound.
In all fracture cases after splinting carry the patient to a physician on a stretcher, not in the arms.
Splints.—Splints can be improvised from any handy material.
Splints should be long enough to reach beyond joints on both sides of fracture, and always well padded. In splinting, have two splints, one on each side of the limb; one bandage will hold both.
Small splints may be made from bunches of twigs, pasteboard cut from boxes, pieces of lath or shingle, desk rulers, or other rigid articles.
For large splints use barrel staves, broom handles, umbrellas, canes, tool handles, fire tongs, bayonets, swords, ram-rods or rifles.
For padding, absorbent cotton is the best material. To improvise padding use grass, straw, soft cloth or soft garment.
For binding, use the triangular bandage found in First Aid Packets. To improvise bandages use handkerchiefs, towels, garters, cords, suspenders or straps.
For slings use the triangular bandage. To improvise slings use towels, handkerchiefs, ripped coat sleeve, front of coat, or skirt turned up and pinned to breast, thus forming a pocket for the arm to rest in.
Dislocations
Bones out of joint. This injury is best distinguished from fracture by the inability of patient to move the limb.
Don't attempt to set dislocated parts, except the most simple cases. Send for the" surgeon. |
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