The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-08-08
EMERGENCIES.

No summer ever passes without
certain number of accidents peculiar
to the season and born of its outdoor
life. One of these is the bite Of dog,
which, always alarming, is doubly so to
the timid and nervous, who regard all
dogs as dangerous in hot weather. For
the consolation of such it must be re-
peated that the bite of a dog-even
mad one-does not inevitably result in
hydrophobia, though it is certainly
wise to treat any bite vigorously and
| so prevent evil results.
In a cool head lie both prevention
and cure. When attacked by a dog.
remember that he, by instinct. flies at
the uncovered portion of your body.
! If you are brave enough you can help
yourself a little by concealing your
hands or protecting your face. AS
dogs saliva contains the poison, his
teeth as they pass through the cloth
| ing are wiped free of some of it before
they enter the flesh, and thus a bite
| through the clothing is robbed of part
| of its dangers.
Nevertheless attend to the bite at
once; promptnesss is the price Of safe
/ ty since the poison, if introduced into
the blood, does not act unless the
| germs are allowed to circulate in the
i ordinary way. The object, then, is Il
/ stop the circulation between the wound
blood to flow away. If possible, tie a
string or ligature on the side of the
bite next the heart and then wash the
wound long and freely, changing the
water constantly. Warm water is
best, but cold is sometimes all that
can be procured. If far from water
the wound may be sucked by any one
whose mouth and lips are free from
cracks. In the meantime a reliab Bile
doctor should have been sent for. When
he comes he may cauterize the place,
but he is the only one to do this; all
you can do is to battle the bite till he
comes.
Another series of accidents is the
variety of falls to which children are
exposed, especially the city child who
loves to climb, but is in utter ignorance
of the art. He assays a tree or a barn
roof, and in a short time is laid limp
and white in his distracted mothers
arms.
When the head has been struck, in
sensibility. more or less complete, en-
sues. If the fall has been slight the
Stunned condition lasts only a few
moments and is quickly gone, but If
the shock has been severe the child
may lie irsensible for hours-a suff1-
GENTLY alarming condition, but one
not necessarily desperate.
A physician should be summoned at
OIlcE, DIS L1CIC dlS lHdDy ~ hi lOIlS
during and following Inconsistencies
which are as sign posts to his ex-
perience. Before he has come the pa
tent should be placed fiat on his back,
with the head very slightly lifted, and
particular care must be exercised to
prevent the chin falling upon the
chest, nor should the head be allowed
| to ''wobble,'' as it will if the support
is too far under the shoulders. The
whole idea must be to create a free
passage for air into the lungs.
Never attempt to give stimulantS
nor any kind of food to an uncon-
scious person. because he cannot swal-
| low and anything put into hs mouth
has every chance of entering his wind
pipe and suffocating him. For the
same reason It is always we'll to see
that there is nothing in the mouth to
impede breathing. The tongue may
have fallen back and so closed the
, orifice: it should then be gently drawn
: forward. and it will not fall back
again if the head is sufficiently and
! properly pillowed.