The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-10-29

,l;n,, 81 ycd III the
u 8 1 in London,
Per himself, and
Nay, without credit,
publications at home
q Even in the late Thcra-
work Of DR.. II. ID. Mitchell,
ssif Philadelphia, this identical practice
Il ,Ss' ascribcd to DR.. John Thomas, of
England, who, in 1882, called the at
Sstention Of the protossinn thereto. as
we arc told in the Ohio Medical Ly-
5ceum, two years after our publication
ms aforesaid, and twelve years after
/ our testimony to its efficacy had been
II published.
But, waving the unmportant sub
aject Of priority, we arc gricvcd to
learn from the public press that such
multitudcs are annually perishing by
scalds in steamboats,, and from burns
by camphine; spirit gas, and otherwise;
Snearly all of whom, however severely
burnt, we do not hesitate to say might
s BE preserved from fatal result if this
81 simple prartice were adopted immedi-
atcly after such accidents. Instead Of
this, however, We hear Of the arplica-
tion of cold water, molasscs, oils, cot
ton, spain cxtractors." &c, acc"mpa
4 I,ied uniformly by the death of the
sufferer, and often "aitcr such acc-
dents, Instead Of this however, we
hear of the application Of cold wa
ter, lead water, molasscs, oils, cot
ton, pain cXtractors," &c, accompan-
led almost uniformly by the death of
the sufferer, and often ''attcr lingering
in cxcruciating torture" for days
srkours.
.s,8 Now, it ought to be promulgated
is5tb the profession, and for humanity
sake to be known to the whole srsS
ple, that in any case Of
scald, however tensNsacaraS
aasS sSiifering of the patient may DC at 'ance'
and permanently relieved, and that in
a5moment Of time, by sprinkling over
the injured surface thick layer of
wheat flour by the hand, or, what is
\ l,ctter, by dredging box. Every
ycslige of pain produced by such iniu-
Y ries is instantly removed, and the sui:
ierer not only escapes the shock to the
nervous system accompanying such
torture, but will generally fall into
quiet sleep the moment the atmos-
phcric temperature is thus excluded
from the wounds.
Why, then, should persons thus in
iurcd be allowed to die with intense
agony occasioncd by burns and scalds,
rs they often do, if not without treat
lnent by the applications SO often
made, many Of which augment their
suilerings, and rcudcr such injuries ir-
\ rcparablc? Even in the late explosion
on board the Reindeer, it is said that
many Of the scaldcd lived for hours,
suffering all the time from their cx-
,ernal injuries, and then treated with
raw. c.tton, lime water, and linsccd
oil, &C., until they were dead. Not n
pang need have been endured beyond
the time necessary to apply the flour,
which must have been ut hand, if the
ignorance Of their friends, and the an
tiquatcd prejudiccs OF their medical
advisers, had not led them to rely up
on the miserable substitutes which
superstition has canonizcd for ccntu-
fies.. And so we affirm OF every case
6fiburn and scald even if the entire
surface has suffered.
In the New York and Bellevue hos
pitals this mode OF treating burns has
I been long in use; until recently. rs we
s searn, the same object has been effect
cd at the former institution by the
analogous method Of covering the in
:FIrcd parts with mucilagc of gum
arabic, SO rs to protect the dcnudcd
surface from the atmosphere, aud
which the surgeons there prefer to the
-four in some cases, where the weight
the latter becomes an Inconvenience.
10 this method we make no objection:
hut having for SO many years employ
I'd the flour alone, to the exclusion OF
all other agents, and in every variety
aud extent of injuries by fire, We have
thus reiterated our testimony; and as
.his agent is found in every house, and
en- be instantly procured with more
readiness than any of the other arti-
clos named, VIC give it the preference
over all others.
And we repeat our full persuasion
Eat not one in hundred OF those
rcrislling by burns and scalds need
s.lccumb under their injuries, if they
were ut once, or as soon after rs may
lie, covered with wheat flour. We
have applied it successfully, after nu-
,herous other remedies had been un-
anicrous other remedies lmc been un-
..siccessfiil, and when many hours had
elapsed after the accident. 70 give
his suggestion to the people, and scat
.usr it broadcast over the land, will
,s7ive. n multitude Of lives i'll a single
Scar.-ReeSe'S MedicoI Gazctfc
--------<szsi. e-< -ezS.p- .sz-----
There are $500 languages through
tnlts the world, besides the language of