Wichita eagle., 1889-01-18

!
to the nearest hospital Again, another in
/ stance. Only few days back. in the Ham
4 mersmith road, two boys were knocked
/ down by cab. One escaped with little in
jury, the other got conclusion of the brain.
He was almost senseless, speeches., cold
and pallid. The same plan ought to have
been pursued as in the case of the old man !;
but instead of this, the boy was sur
rounded by dense crowd Of inquisitive
people, and one good but mistaken Samari-
tan was supporting the injured youth in al
upright position on his knee. After time
the poor boy was dragged away on his
legs, being well shaken and jostled in the
process. Yet third instance. In Hyde
Park, one recent Sunday, person was
taken in an epileptIc fit One bystander
wisely ran for water; others carried the
eplleptic to bench, on which he was seated.
Now, in epilepsy there is great struggling,
the limbs are convulsed, and the tongue is
very liable to be protruded between the
teeth and severely bitten. This accident
should be guarded against by placing some
thing, as small piece of soft wood, too
large to slip into the mouth, between the
teeth; and the person should be simply pre-
vented injuring himself in his struggles I'M
til the fit passes away. But nothing of the
kind was attempted; the consequence being
that the tongue was bitten, and the limbs of
the epileptic were bruised against the hard
wood of the bench on which he was seated
and held. Had he been placed on the soft
grass and left alone he would have injured
himself less.
The following are rules which may be
safely adopted in cases OF accident and sud-
den illness. Place the person on the
ground or floor lying toward the right side,
and with the head raised to the level of the
body by pillow. folded coat or other soft
substance. Then unbutton or split open
any clothing pressing upon the neck or
chest. The face and chest should be
sprinkled with cold water, and some cold
water may be given to drink if the power
of swallowing remains. Wine, brandy or
other liquor should not be hastily given
without evidence of their being needed. Ex-
anime the head and limbs separately
The prominent parts of the limbs may be
examined with very little movement Of the
body. IL it is necessary TO move person
after any injury, especially of the head, the
person should be carried while living down.
He should not be allowed to sit upright in
vehicle or to walk. See that the person is
allowed plenty of fresh air. The history Of
the accident should be obtained, and when
sending for surgeon the message should
be as clear as possible, and if prac-
tcable, written one.
The most common maladles which occur
suddenly to people in the streets of large
towns are apoplectic and eplleptic at
lacks, maladies depending on heart affec-
tons, and drunken fits, although, perhaps,
the latter should not be classed under the
head maladies. But it is necessary to dis
tnguish apoplexy and epilepsy from dead
drunk" as it is called, and also poisoning
by opium. Apoplexy is known from cpl
lepSy by the putting or snoring breathing
which occurs in the former malady In cpl
lepsy there is no struggling of the limbs,
the eyes are turned UP under the lids, so
that the whites only are visible, and the
person generally falls down with loud cry,
none of which are the symptoms of apo
plexy. Apoplexy is to be distinguished
from affections due to the heart, because in
the latter maladies the symptoms are very
similar to fainting. The person is pale, I'M
conscious, with feeble pulse, scarcely per-
ceptible breathing, white lips and death
Ike expression of countenance: while ID
apoplexy, though the person is unconscious,
there is snoring or putting breathing, and
the face is often drawn to one side. Apo
plexy is best distinguished from the effects
of spirituous liquors by the history of the
case, which may probably be one Of drink
ing Secondly, by the smell of liquor in the
persons breath; although this is not GER
tain sign, for some one may, in mistaken
kindness, have given the person struck with
apoplexy some kind of liquor. Thirdly, in
the " drunken fit" the size of the pupils of
the eyes is equal, while in apo
al. e Nfe A.
other. BY the pupils of the eyes is
meant the round space in the center of the
dark part of the eye Fourthly, the person
dead drunk =" may generally be reused,
when he babbies incoherently, while from
apoplexy the person can not be reused
Lastly, If any movements occur in drunk
enness they VIII be of the limbs, whereas
movement is usually restricted to one side
of the body in apoplexy. From poisoning
by opium apoplexy is best distinguished by
the history Of the case: by the smell of
opium IN the breath; by both pupils of the
eyes being very small and contracted; by
the fact that the patient may be reused, al
though he does not then babble as in the
drunken lit, but Immediately goes to sleep
again.
If all that has been advanced can not be
held in recollection the condensed rules
may certainly be remembered, viz: First,
in all cases OF accident or sudden illness let
the person lie down, and do not assist him
10 maintain the upright posture; secondly,
let him have plenty Of fresh air; thirdly,
unloose all clothing round the neck and
chest; fourthiy, convey the patient still in
the recumbent position, 10 the nearest
hospital Stretchers for this purpose ought
10 be available at known points, or al least