Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-11-21
GIVING FIRST AID.
Treatment of Cuts and Flesh
Wounds.

The prime consideration that con-
fronts one in the treatment Of cuts
and flesh wounds IS the ever present
danger Of blood poisoning, says Ed
ward Howe, president of the Chicago
FIRST Aid society, in the News.
In dealing with a flesh wound keep
clearly in your mind The fact that
POISON germs are evarywhere-in the
mosph re, in the patients clothing,
on his flesh. on your hands and in
the water with which you may be
tempted to wash the wound. DO not,
wound. If an artery is not severed
and there is no immediate danger Of
bleeding to death. take a clean cloth
or handkerchief or a piece of absorb.
ent cotton and use the flow Of blood
to wash out whatever dirt may have
gotten into the wound a the time
CT the accident. On no account
touch the wound with your hands un-
les il is Necessary to use finger pres
sure upon a spot Wh re al artery may
be severed. Then as quickly as pos
sible place pad of absorbent cotton
0i gauze or clean muslin in the
wound and bind it up firmly, keeping
/ the thought in mind steadily that
every moment the wound is exposed
! it is being poisoned by the germs in
! the atmosphere
If the wound is in either of the
limbs and is bleeding profusely lay
the patient flat and elevate the
wounded limb.
If the bleeding comes in jets and
spurts you may know that an artery
has been severed. In this case first
| local pressure should be used-.hat
| is, place your finger firmly upon the
spot from which the blood is spurt-
| ing; then place clean pad on the
wound and bandase as already di-
rected If the bleeding is not arrested
il may be necessary to apply distant
pressure-that is, at point between
the wound and the heart on a line
followed by the great arteries from
the heart to the wound.
If the wound is in the head or nan'i
the carotid artery must be eompr Sc
ed against the vertebral coluHn on
either side-the pressure b ing made
with the thumb inward and backward
behind the windpipe. and on a level
with the larynx.
If the wound is in the upper limbs
high up. near the armpit-pressure
must be made in downward direc
ton behind the collar bone
If the wound is in tha lower arm
or hand the pressure must be applied
to the inside of the upper arm CD the
line at the base Of he biceps mus
cles.
If he wound is on he leg apply the
pressure in the center of the Groin
and press straight back against the
bone until the blood stops
AS pressure wi h the finger and
thumb cannot be maintained for any
length Of time, a tourniqunt Of some
kind must be devised. This may be
done by tying a handkerchief loosely
around the par whore the pressure
is to be made, then put a hardpad,
such as cork upon the part where
the pressure is to be applied, Draw
i tho handkerchief or strap over this
hard pad and create pres ure by
placing a stick or handle of a knife
between the flesh and the haAdkor
chief and twist it round and round
until YOU have obtained sufficient prs
sure to arrest the bleeding.
After the bleeding has ceased it
becomes necessary to dress the wound
and pace the severed and lacerated
flesh snuelv back % its normal posi-
ton. At this point, however, it is
well to suppose that the patient is
in the hands of surgeon and no
more need be said. But it may hap
Fen thai and accident takes plac
whore the services of a surgeon are
not readily ayailable. Then it must
be remembered thaJ cleanliness and
only cleanliness is the thing to be
considered. The greatest surgeon in
the world can do no more than place
Tho edges of the wound together, eli
,ther by stitches or otherwise, and
see to il that he wound is clean and
everything coming in contact with
the wound is surgically clean, which
is the superlatiye degree of cleanli-
ness Nature does everything else
Never attempt to put plasters or
lotions or powders upon wound
20 accelerate healing Nature can