The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-01
AID TO THE INJURED.
THE PROPER THING TO DO FIRST IN
CASE OF ACCIDENT.

A worried look was on his face as he
walked into the city dispensary. He car
ried his hand and lower arm in sling
improvised from badly soiled bandanna
handkerchief.
DOG bit me two days ago, an my whole
arms swellin. I'm scared of hydropho.
bio" he told DR.. G. L. Kearney, chief as
sistant dispensary physician, when his
turn came to tell his troubles
He unwound soiled rag and disclosed
an enormously swollen hand with small
wound In the palm. AS he did SO matted
mass of short, black, curly hair, which
had been tied like plaster or poultice
over the wound, fell to the floor. He
gathered It up with great care.
whats that" asked DR.. Kearney.
"Some of the hair of the dog at bit me"
and the patient looked surprised at DR..
kcarney's ignorance.
II sincerely hope that this mans pro-
found medical knowledge may not cost
him his arm, said DIR. Kcarney to re-
porter as he cleaned the wound with a jet
from a reservoir containing u bichlOride
Of mercury solution. People can't get
out of their heads that old saw about the
hair of the dog being good for the bite"
II suppose you killed the dog" he con.
tnued addressing his patient.
'Sure thing, but I've got plenty Of his
hair at home II you want some more"
"You killed the dog because you were
afraid he had hydrophobia, didn't you9"
"Umhmh, assented the patient.
"And to keep any one from finding out
whether he had 1t or not yon killed him"
"Noo-o, not exactly. thought maybe
he might get hydrophoba afterward.
And If he got 1t afterward you would
get it, too because years ago he bit your"
"Umhmh.
"The diffusion Of medical knowledge
among some people Is marvellous YOU
would probably have put maidstone on
the wound If you had had one" said Dr..
Kearncy sarcastically, after dressing the
wound, as he handed the patient n pre-.
scription for poultice to be placed on the
wound.
"oh, there are thousands of cases Of
first aid, just like that oner' said DR..
Kearney later. "They put anything on
wound to stop the stanch of blood, as
they put 1t. Cobwebs, tar, manure, to.
bacco guilds, balsam that gets into the
wounds so you can't get it out any way
you try, salt, vinegar, mustard, pepper,
butter, lard, fresh clay, brick dust, whis-
Ky, axlo grease, the saliva nicotine juice
from strong pipes-l've seen them all used.
None of these applications has styptic
properties, hut they all foul the wound
and cause the surgeon hours of work and
the patient hours of pain, where, had they
not been used, few minutes would have
sufflced for the antisepto cleaning and
dressing of the wound.
"To me the most wonderful thing about
these cases is that SO few Of them result
in lockjaw, cellulitis, erysipelas or other
forms 81 blood poisoning. People natu-
rally do the wrong thing in emergencies.
You notice that when man falls the first
impulse of bystanders is to elevate his
head and to lift him to his feet again, re-
CARELESS of any injury he may have sus-
tanned. They do that, suppose, because
they can't find anything that is more
wrong to do.
"The most curious case of mistaken
first aid that ever came under my observa-
ton was of sewer cleaner who was struck
In the neck by q flying fragment of a
track torpedo that mischievous lad had
discharged with the blow of hammer
The victim was coming out of a sewer man
hole, and just as his head appeared above
ground tho torpedo exploded. One frag-
ment hit him in the neck, cutting the
carotid artery. The blood came out in
spurts with each throb of the heart
"The proper treatment while waiting
for the doctor would have been to have
pressed tightly over the wound with the
thumb compress of clean linen. Some
bystandcr, however, knew little of first
aids. He had heard that a tightly con-
the heart would stop the flow of blood. A
little learning proved dangerous thing.
He put bandage around the victims
neck and began twisting it till the mans
tongue hung ont and his face grew purple.
The victim was nearly choked to death
when he reached the dispensary, and the
flow of the blood was undated"
Here Is a resume Of the proper emergency
treatment In various accidents as given
by DR.. A. " L. Brokaw and DR.. A. G.
Bcrnays, two of St. Louis most eminent
surgeons:
When person falls on the street from
unknown cause, lower the patients head
and loosen his clothing, so that the air
passages may not be CONSTRUCTED by it,
Give him plenty Of air and let him lie till
the doctor comes
For cut which blceds profusely, II the
cut is on the leg or arm, tie a handker-
chief about the limb above the wound,
put stick or cane through under the
handkerchief and twist 1t until the flow Of
blood stops. If the cut Is on head, neck
or trunk, place directly over the wound
q pad Of clean cotton or linen material
('freshly ironed, ifpossible, to sterilize it"
DR.. Brokaw) and put direct pressure
on the wound with the thumb or hand
till the doctor comes.
For burns and scalds sprinkle thlckly
over the injured parts dry, powdered car
Donate of soda or baking powder. Wrap
in clean cloths, freshly ironed II possible.
For simple confusion give the injured
parts rest and consult physician to dc.
termine the extent of the injury.
For dislocation of joint no attempts
Mt reduction should be made. The patient
should be placed In u comfortable position
and kept as quiet as possible until the sur
gcon comes
For slight fractures the proper treat
ment is to keep tho parts quiet and con-
suit doctor.
For severe fractures place the injured
member and patient in comfortable po.
sition and send for surgeon. II the bone
protrudes and there Is severe hemorrhage
from the wound, use the same measures
as with simple cuts.
For asphyxiation bring the patient out
of the noxious atmosphere, lower his head,
push his jaw forward, pull his tongue SO
that it protrudes from his mouth, In order
to clear the air passages Then produce
artificial respiration by expanding and
COMPRISING the chest regularly l6 times
to the minute. "Tho philosophy of lower
ing the patients head is to impel the blood
thither by gravity" says Dr. Bernays.
"The head dies first, and 1t needs blood to
live u-St Louis Globe Democrat