The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-21
Medical Notes.

Next to bruises. burns are the most
common household accidents, and, like
many bruises, many burns are so slight
that they need but little If any treat
ment. Physicians, in fact, divide burns
into three classes, those of the first de-
gree being slight burns Of the outer skin
in which it is not broken, but it is red
dened and becomes extremely painful
Pain, indeed, is the most marked symp-
tom in such burns and this pain may be
so severe as ito cause shock and collapse.
so that while of the first degree such q
burn is not always a simple one.
In burns of the second degree where
the outer skin is destroyed, and blisters
are formed the shock is greater and the
danger more serious. increasing with the
amount Of surface involved rather than
with the severity of the burn Tt is es-
timated, for instance, that If two-fifths.
or, at most one-half of the body is
burned specifically only, the result will
be fatal, owing to the shock, or disease
set up by the disturbance Of the func-
tons Of the skin and the consequent
reaction upon the overlooking Of other
organs and tissues. After a severe burn
for example, the urine sometimes be-
comes scanty and high-coIored, showing
existence of disease inflammation of the
kidneys owing. to the necessity that is
1O1CSO upOH OIL 7QOllR dQQlClOndI
duty for the skin Again counter-frri-
tation is often used in lung diseases, and
bowel troubles, to distract the attention,
SO to speak, of the fever or infiammatory
agents from one place to another This
counter Irritation, is, in sense, a burn,
though slight one, and when an acci-
dental burn is inflicted upon the skin
the counter-irritation is exaggerated so
that the healthy tissues become derang
1,NS,. E.x~1
burns, especially of the chest and abdo-
men, the doctor always expects trouble
from Inflammation of the lungs (pneu-
monia) or Of the bowles
Burns Of the third degree are those
in which the flesh and even bone is de-
stroyed. They seldom occur in the home
but are more common in factories, Where
eaustic acids or alkalies are used, or
where they work in molten metal and
leviate suffering by gentle handling and
promptly calling physician.
For burns such as the good housewife
gets by taking hold of the litter when
it is hot, or in any other way around the
kitchen, promptly immersing the finger
in cold water and letting it stay there
until 'the fire is out" as they say, Will
relieve the pain and smarting If the
burn is more severe but still of the first
degree. mix a little bicarbonate of soda
Common cooking soda) with just enough
water to moisten it and smear 1t over
the burnt place, wrapping a piece of cot
ton cloth around it to keep it in place,
and occasionally wetting this with soda
dissolved in a little water. A dab of mu-
cilage over the burned place is a COM
mon remedy, and good one, If there
are no germs IN the liquid, and carpenters
make use of little glue or shellac, while
painters put on a dash Of WHITEHEAD
paint. Whiting and water, mixed to
creamy consistency. smeared over the
burned surface is a kitchen remedy and
the white of an egg allowed to dry on the
surface is an excellent one with the cook