The National tribune., 1889-12-12
puNcTuREn wouNns.

Stabs and especially deep wounds produced
by blunt, ragged object tas a large splinter
| driven into deep tissues by n fall an explosion
| ete.) are much more troublesome especially il
| the wound should close at tho surface before
the deeper-seated portion has properly healed
| Constant bathing in warm water or the appli-
| cation of warm poultices. helps TO prevent such
! com mpiications, and the wound can be permitted
10 heal after the injured parts cease 10 feel SEN
sItivo TO a moderate pressure. In case a small
/ foreign body such rs a fragment OF splinter. a
| piece of glass or small bullet should have
| been driven into tissues where its location is
difficult TO ascertain 1t is often the safest plan
| to leave 1t to work out its way by suppuTation
| or direct perfCration (as hard, pointed objects
arc pretty sure To do, rather than TO attempt
their removal by surgical experiments that
might cause more mischief than the original
injury. Buckshot aud the small bullets used
In target-rifics, on striking bone or other COM
pact tissue. have IA curious way of turning aside
and burying themselves in places that could
hardly bs inferred from the general direction
of the shot.
In such eases the experimental slashes OF the
Surgeons lancet may cost the patient severe
aud possibly, after all, useless pain, while on
the other hand the let-alone plan may re-
suit in the formation of a troublesome ahseess
Much more frequently. however, Nature solves
the dilemma in one of the two following ways:
Either the bullet works out It's way by sup
pnration-gotting closer and closer to the ski
till It's location can be easily aseertained-o it
becomes encgsted, i. O., inclosed in IA vesice or
skin-like bag that renders it comparatively
harmless to the surrounding tissue, and almost
perfectly callous to the touch Thousands of
soldiers and hunters carry in their bodies such
mcmentoes of risky adventure and remem-
ber a ease where six buckshot out of 10 remain
ed imbedded in the tissues around the shoulder
OF the patient without causing any special
Inconvenience, aud certainly without interfer.
ing with the free movements of the arm.
FRACTURES OF BoNY TISSUE.
Wounds, involving the complete or partial
fracture OF ii bone should, with rare exceptions
be relegated to the care of an experienced Sur
geon. Injuries to tho long bones of young chill
dren are apt TO be limited To the splintering
ruptures known as green. stick fractures, and
may heal almost as readily as flesh wounds !;
but wherever there Is reason To suspect the dis
placement of the broken bone professional
assistance should be secured without loss of
time. After the adjustment of the proper
bandages rest and the best of all known anti
septies, pure, very warm (almost hot) water
will often suffice to insure recovery from appar-
emily hopeless injuries. rs in the following case
reported by Il correspondent of the New York
Medical Journal: THE patient was engaged in
n machine-shop aud while his hand was upon
the anvil the stroke of q trip-hammer weigh
ing several hundred pounds, fell sooner than
expected. It so happened that a file was upon
the anvil. and in this way the fall of the ham
mer was arrested about half an inch before t
reached its bed. When the hand was exn-
ined, it WAS, however, found that the whole
palm was mass of pulp The metacarpal bone
was crushed, and there was apparently but
small chance of saving the hand It was.
nevertheless, placed in warm water aud kent
there for two three weeks and was then
taken out aud dressed In three months the
patient was able to leave the hospital, and now,
nine months after the accident, he ia able to
move his fingers, and has a very useful hand"
Feet crushed out of shape by car-wheels or the
fall ofa heavy rock, can now aud then be heal
cd In way that proves the wisdom of resort
ing to amputation only as to u last expedient
In such cases rest, complete and long continued
Is, however, an absolute condition of recovery,
since the slightest attempt to make an Injured
foot support the weight of the body may dis
place or refraeture the partly healed bones and
annul the benefit of weeks of skill on the
Surgeons part, and of patience on the
eripples Similar causes may partly explain
the circumstance that wounds on tho head,
breast and shoulders heal so much more readily
than injuries TO the lower extremities. The
difference is chiefly due to the greater or
smaller weight supported by the injured tissues.
and If the patient can be induced to remain in
a horizontal position a laeerated foot will heal
almost rs easily RS u scalp wound.
To be continued