Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-28
TO STOP BLEEDING.
TREATMENT NEEDED I'M THE CASE
OF ACCIDENTAL HEMORRHAGE.
Valuable Hints for All NOn-Profes-
sionaIs--When Arteries are Wounded.
BIeeding From Veins-Improvising
Tournfauet-The Physician.

slonafs--N men Arteries arc
BIeeding From veins-Improvising a
Tournfauet-The Physician.
When profuse hemorrhage from n wounded
blood vessel occurs, the beholder, lie he
friend or stranger, is in many instances SO
terror-stricken he loses all presence Of mind,
and thus many lives have been sacrificed
which might have been saved by timely in-
terventiOn. Innearly all eases of hemOrrhage
much more apprehension is excited than IS
warranted. The amount of blood actually
lost is generally much overestimated. There
is a common expression, "a little blood makes
a great show This is quite true: for
small quantity will soil much clothing, and
but little need be added to a basin of water TO
render it very high colored. Ii is well To re
member that about one-eighth of the weight
of the human body is blood; in other words,
that, in person of average size, there are
from sixteen TO eighteen pints. In health
pint-even a quaTt-of blood can be with
drawn from the vessels without injury, and
doubtless in but few cnTnS would los of one
third the entire amount contained in the body
prove fatal.
From this statement it must not be inferred
that when hemorrhage occurs treatment may
be leisurely applied; far from it. The bleed
ing should in all cases be Immediately ar
rested, if possible. The reader should know,
however, how great a loss can be sustained
without life being threatened, for it is often
the fear of immediate death that is terror
izing. and renders one pOwerless in such emer-
genCies
WHEN ARTERIES ARE WOUNDED.
An artery is known to have been wounded
when blood of a bright red color spurts out
in jets, corresponding to the beats of the pulse.
II a vein is opened. dark red blood flows from
the wound in a steady stream Bleeding from
wounded arteries is in nearly all instances by
far the most dangerous In cases of hem
Orrhage at all prOfuse, firm pressure should
be instantly made directly upon the bleed
ing part The next step to take will depend
upon the situation and character of the
wound. II the injury. is on either Of the
limbs, and is severe, it is always well to have
the pa lent placed flat on his back, and the
injured member elevated and supported by
al assistant. During this procedure the
bleeding must be prevented by unrelaxed
pressure II a small artery has been cut, it
will be known by the size of the jet which
spurted out when the wound was received.
In such cases, bandaging directly over the
wound viii often control the hemorrhage. A
pad should he made little larger than the
cut, by folding or rolling firmly a piece of
cloth. This, when ready, should be placed
over the wound, the fingers which have pre-
viously grasped it being quickly lifted up for
the purpose, and as quickly should they renew
their pressure on the pad. Over this band
age can then be applied, piece of sheet three
or four inches wide, and five or six feet long,
being used
II the bleeding has entirely ceased, to wet
and keep this bandage saturated with cold
water, and the limb supported is all that
there remains to do. II, however, the bleeL-
ing persists, then the treatment TO be advised
when large artery Is wounded must be emf
ployed. In such cases no attempt should BE-
made to permanently arrest the hemorrhage
by bandaging the wound, but between il and
the BODY, around the limb, a firm bandage,
twisted handkerchief, large cord or a piece of
rubber tubing should be drawn tightly and
tied in knot, to shut off the supply of blood
Not until this is effectually done should pres
sure Of the fingers on the bleeding part be re
laxed In cases where the wound is large
and several small arteries are opened and
pressure with the fingers does not control the
bleeding, then the ligature should be applied
above the injury. Bleeding from small veins
is generally easily controlled by bandaging
over the wound. When, however, important
vessels are opened, as is sometimes the case
with enlarged veins Of the leg, then the blood
should he cut Off from the bleeding part by
tightly bandnging, not between it and the
body, but between the wound and the ex-
tremity. This simple law may be easily ex-
planned: the blood goes to the extremities
through the arteries, but returns through the
veins.
IMPRovIsING A TOURNIQUET.