Ellsworth American., 1877-07-26
Burns and Scalds.
USEFUL DISCovERY-sEvERE PRACTICAL
TESTS.

TESTS.
At the recent meeting of the Massa-
chuetts Dental Society in Salem DR.. G.. F.
Waters of this city gave detailed account
OF discovery which he has recently made
OF remedy for burns and scalds, the i'm
portance of which seems to merit fuller
consideration than the condensed news
paper reports gave it at that time. IL was
claimed that the application of bcarbonate
of soda, which is the simple cooking soda
to be found in all households, or other
alkalicS in 4 neutral form. would afford in
stantlneous cessation OF pain from the
seyerest burns or ssolds, aud that in all
cases OF mere superficial burning the treat
ment would effect cure in the course OF
few hours. The doctor related the cir
cumstauces which led TO the discovery,
which, aS is often the case, was largely
the result of accident. Its importance
seemed To warrant a special investigation.
not only into its merits, but into the philo
sophv Of the treatment. IN order that it
should become something more than an
empirical fact and be lifted into the sphere
Of legitimate therapeutics.
In pursuing this investigation the first
step was To ascertain the cause OF the pain
attending burts. 1t was found that ii a
NtldlNt !iutl, -uCu ~ Dt1LiHt OF CnlOFO-
form. which ordinarily produce a cooling
sensation when applied to the skin, be
confined between a thin rubber sheet aud
the flesh, all the symptoms OF burn will
cusur. showing that the pain results from
the pressure caused by the expansion Of
! the iluid which penetrate aud expands the
pcrspirl'jon iuC,-. These products pro-
coed from within the skin, where they are
twisted and conyoluted - ss 10 form
round bodies called glands. The thin or
more iluil part OF the blood i nearly pure
alhumen. aud will form by heat or chemi-
cal action. couguum or solid mass like
the white Of an cg. when cooked. Now
the effects Of the hot water or hot iron,
when applied to the flesh, Is to congulate
the serum of the skin and pores, and thus
70 close them up and produce severe con
tortlous ir the perspratory duets, precise
" aS shutting the hose-ppe Will stfaIXhtrn
out coil Of hose under strong pressure,
The problem, then, Il To remove this pres
sure, and the cessation Of pain must result
( Win the ordinary Treatment Of burns this
result d, reached III one, ur both Of two
way y here the burn Is 50 severe as
deeply lo cook the flesh, more or less
~lnuLdtuE " the dead flesh occurs, and In
all eases The lead matter Is being carried
oh more or less rapidly by absorption. In
''lhtT case thr It"ti j. SLOW. II, however
tFsttmchl B.. adopted whIch VIII al once
h.->"lFe ms conIn'At'n aIouheh "hich
li0@- Nl 'hc sweat 4Atl> instant fttti
oush' 10 .d~ue, 0Ach an Ak ~ i oiear-
h.uatc OF soda or c'na.npn coos Nih' sgia
ana other neAtr'u a.kares, anu in ms SIN,
pie scientific fact lics3. the philosophy ot
pr Watcr>'S remedy.
" the m"eth- oi dentists A'IFt reier-
req 70. not Only was 'he theory 'ery iuiIy
expanded. hnt me practical vLiue ot the
remedy wa' demonH'ra'cd oy test re-
Git''hG considerable nerve to pnt inJ" OPP
Grafton. ahi siil more itlth ~ the eHlcary
~ 'Ae novel treatment winch was 10 De
I.'9,rhtrd. The doctor dipped slSlEr
a'" water 10 stTe ot ehnHni"D, ana
,iuerzri J, over hiN riGht "F'Ht' thr water
H"N '"- almost tphp''lt'S A''uud 'he aIh
Ahi h"aflf rhtliclIhA "." AtEeie
ssAin '"the'h'u- Hhe TWO iil'H'S 'h "'h'h.
N'' content WIN lh'N' ne dipp'd 'he SPoh gc
>r.ohl lihr anh pie>-"l u r.'rt'y "h tHr
uud"t >ide oi MS wrist tpF lhr Ptrlpd ot
iAFH H''"Hi>' If 'hcn "PP"t" o'SAI-
nonhl' oI ~odi to thc sc4!ued An'iAc" ana
I''i over IL WEI Ci"to' "uu tAt l"ieHse pam
"AN paHISh'd a. II ~ ila-C' Anu IHe h'Al
uAS A'ltr lh!r severe 'es1' the NtAIH' "'Ih
'u' exception "i lhe par PufPo'r'y mAle
I''>' stNrte' ~ prat'!ta'S h'a'ri' "hH
'"-H u'>c"'"tatlpH p 'hc CuHt.t nov
in- "Hete 'nt HcA'u'"- water hAi "o"tu
I"I'' I@o' ",.h'nt second tppHCAIinh "i
10' N'"i' uc "tNI o'' t''e u''Ht' n'"c g
inc "fI>t hAd oteh cooked uo"" 70 lhe
:" "r''--' 'ud'' dHH Lhe 1891 "AS oh'
WIZ" ~ .'i"4'us ""Hn Ht'c o't"'e an