Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-25
BURNS AND sCALDs.
FROM nEEsE's MEDICAL GAZETTE.

4
There practical subject our profession in which
the disastrous and fatal effects Of matreatment by
deal men as well the mischiefs of popular ignorance
apparent than in the remedies resorted in
the cases of scalds and burns unhappy frequent
in our country by of the murderous reckessness
of human life in the entrusted with public con-
veyances in which steam is employed.
SO long ago as $780, in the first American edition of
Coopers Surgical Dictionary published by the Harpers
of this city, took occasion urge upon the profession
and the public the Importance of better philosophy and
practice in the medical management of the mischefs
sultng from such accidents than that usually in vogue
We then stated the results of experience for years
in the treatment of scalds and burns by the instant APP
picaton Of wheat -four, article always hand and
the perseverance in this application alone until all the
acute inflammation had subsidized Our theory and prac-
tice thus promulgated approved and recommended
in the then forthcoming edition in London, by Mr. Samuel
Cooper himself and has since found its way, without
credit into numerous publications at home and abroad.
Even in the late Therapeutica work Of Dr. D. Mitchell
of Philadelphia this identical practice is ascribed Dr.
John Thomas of England who, in 1892 called the atten
ton Of the profession thereto told in the Ohio
Medical Lyceum, two years after our publication as
aforesaid, and twelve years after testimony its
efficacy had been published.
But, waving the unimportant subject of priority,
greved TO learn from the public press that such null
ttudes annually pershing by scalds in steamboats,
and from burns by camphine spirit gas and otherwise
nearly oil Of whom, however severely burnt do not
hesitate to say might be preserved from fatal result if
this simple practice adopted Immediately after such
instead OF This, however, ap-
picaton Of cold rar, lead water, nolasss O cotton,
pam extracors" &c. accompanied almost uniformly by
the death of the sufferer and often "aer lingering in
excruciating torture" for days or hours.
Now it ought to be promulgated to the profession and
for humanity sake to be known the whole people, that
in any Of burn scald, however extensive all the
acute suffering Of the patient may be and perma-
nenty relieved and that in moment Of time by sprink
ling the injured surface thick layer of wheat -four
by the hand, or what is BETTER by dredging box. Every
vestge Of pain produced by such injuries is instantly
moved and the sufferer not only escapes the shock to the
nervous system accompanying such torture but will gen.
orally fall into quiet sleep the moment the atmospheric
temperature is thus excluded from the wounds
Why then, should persons thus injured be allowed to
die with intense agony occasoned by burns and scads
they often do II without treatment by the appca-
tons so often made many Of which augment their suffer
ngs, and render such injuries irreparable Even in the
late explosion board the Reindeer il said that many Of
the scalded lived hours suffering all the time from their
external injuries, and then treated with cotton lime
water, and iinseed oil, &c. until they dead Not
pang need have been endured beyond the time
TO apply the four which must have been hand IL the
ignorance Of their friends and the antquated prejudces
of their medical advisers had led them rely upon
the miserable substitutes which superstition has canonired
for centuries And affirm Of every Of burn and
scsld, even If the entire surface has suffered
In the New York and Bellevue Hospitals this mode Of
treating burns has been long in until recently
learn the object has been effected the former in
suon by the analogous method Of covering the injured
parts with muoilsge Of gum arabic protect the
denuded surface from the atmosphere and which the
there prefer the -four in cases. where the
weight Of the latter becomes inconvenience To this
method we make objection; but having for many
years employed the -four alone to the exclusion Of all
other agents and in every variety and extent Of injuries
by FIRE, have thus reiterated testimony, and as
this agent is found in every house, and be instantly
procured with readiness than any Of the other ar
Giles named, We give it the preference all others
And repeat full persuasion that not one in a
hundred Of those pershng burns and scads need
cumb under their injuries II they at once or as
after may be- covered with wheat -four. We have APP
piled successfully after numerous other remedies had
been unsuccessful and when many hours had elapsed af
ter the accident To give this suggestion to the people,
and scatter it broadcast the land, will multi
tude Of lives in n single year.