Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-10-02
BuRNs.
Many Are Fatal Which Need Not De
If Properly Treated.

I
If Properly Treated.
The i'll effects sustained from a
burn vary in accordance with the
extent of the area involved, and
according to its location Sur
geons have come to regard burn
of the skins surface as usually
fatal when its extent is greater
than tenth of the body surface.
The severest burns usually
originate from scalding by steam,
from explosions, and particular
Iy, says the Youths Companion,
from clothing which has caught
fire. The common use of gasO
line, naphtha and benzine for
cleaning purposes, all of which
are highly infammable, and tho
vapor from which is explosive,
makes a severe burn from them
common.
No accident demands more
prompt intervention, if one
would limit it's severity, than
burn Of any kind. The skin is
able to endure mOmentarily the
direct application of heat of a de-
gree very much above what might
be termed destructive heat be-
cause of the moisture of the ep-
idermis, which covers the true
skin more or less thickly; most
thickly of course on the palms of
the hands and soles of the feet.
AS soon as all moisture is COM
| pletely evaporated, high degree
of heat causes the destructive
process to begin.
Wherever possible a burned
surface should be Immediately
plunged into water, preferably
cold. Water is an excellent con
. ductOr of heat, and is most gener-
ally available. After the lapse of
, but a few seconds from the time
+ of burning such a remedy will
have lost its virtue. One instinct.
: lively applies this remedy when on
scOrching his finger he immedi-
!. ately lays it on the tongue. The
p depth of the burn is thus greatly
$ lessened, and destruction Of the
n entire thickness of the skin is pre-
!. vented.
n So many severe burns have
p their origin from the kitchen
q CRATE, alongside which there is
8 ordinarily a running water-tap,
+ that it seems strange the latter is
+ not more frequently utilized. A
Y iimsy cotton garment, for exam
pie, which catches fire is eXtin
guished by water with much less
damage to the wearer than by
, smothering the flames by wooden
fabrics. This is especially apt to
+ be the case if there is no woOler
D underwear to protect the skin.
o The prevention Of severe burns
a as in the case of other accidents
+ often lies in ones having thought
?. out beforehand what would best
4 be done in case the need for imme-
o date action should occur.
4 On the occurrence Of a severe
J burn every precaution should be
taken to prevent the disturbance
of the burned area from further
! harm from rubbing or from strip
y ping off the blistered skin. No
raw surface must be made if that
can possibly be prevented. Cloth
y ing should be cut away quickly
z but cautiously. Pain is less Sc
we're if the wound is protected
, from the air.
The most common remedy is the
use of some unirritating oily
preparation. A mixture Of equal
. parts of olive-Oil and lime-wateT
! is a good remedy, or a thick layer
, of powdered starch. Pulverized
= bOracic acid may serve even bet
ter as a means for preventing dis
turbance of the burned area and
infection from the floating organ
f isms of the air.