The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-09-22
SunSfrOke

By DR.. w. HI. BAILEY
OF the Kansas University Medical
School ar Rosed0le

sons and in those doing hard physical
labor. One attack Is inclined to make
them more susceptible to the effects
of heat so that they should always
take special care about exposing them
selves afterwards, and should change
occupation if possible.
Electricity Burns, Brush Burns.
The local effect of electricity is that
of a burn and usually occurs at the
point of contact when an electric cur
rent passes through the body or a
portion of it. Death may be produced,
however, by the shock caused and no
local manifestation be visible
In order to prevent burns or acct
dents from electricity never take hold
of any wire while the current is turn
ed on. 1t is advisable not to handle
any wire that is strung close to line
carrying a high voltage, although 1t
may only have weak current itself,
as there is always the possibility of
the wires being crossed at some other
place and the strong current being
transferred to the line on which you
are working. If any person has been
caught in a Tive wire" and rendered
unconscious, be very careful in remov-
ing him so as not to get shocked your
self If possible have the current
turned off or break the wire by throw
ing some heavy object upon II. II this
cannot be done, push the wire from
hn hn
wire, by some piece of dry wood or
other non-conductor. Sometimes the
person may be drawn away from the
wire by catching hold of some part of
his garments or throwing a rope over
one of his extremities. If the patient
IS so tangled in the wire that he can
not be freed by these means, one may
cut the wire or free him If he wears
rubber gloves or insulates himself in
some way Remember that wood and
rope and clothing which are fairly
good non-conductors.w dry, become
good conductors when wet and are
then to be avoided
Burns caused by electricity are to
be treated the same as any other burn,
by wrapping in cloths wet in a satu-
rated solution of sodium bicarbonate
(baking soda), or oil or ointment of
some kind applied The shock to the
system caused by strong current
passing through the body as a light
ming stroke, may cause death almost
instantly or 1t may produce condition
similar to heat exhaustion or a severe
burn. 1t is to be treated by giving
stimulants as alcohol in some form or
aromatic spirits of ammonia, and keep
ing the body warm by applying warm
ed covers and artificial heat of some
kind
Brush-burns, those injuries caused
by the surface of the body coming in
contact with a rapidly moving object.
as a moving belt or having a rope run
through the hand, are sometimes
classed as decorations but may be con-
sidered here. They are not often very
extensive but are usually dirty and be-
come badly infected as the tissue has
been torn away as well as destroyed
by heat, and dirt has been ground into
the WOuuu.
Such wounds should be cleaned out
thoroughly with some weak antiseptic
solution as dilute carbolic acid (phe-
noD. part of carbolic acid to 20 parts
of water. and even scrubbed with hot
water and soap, il the patient can
stand such rather severe treatment
Hydrogen peroxide (peroxide, or per-
oxide of hydrogen Is very good So
luton to use in cleaning out the
wound, but 1t has only a mild antisep
tic action and causes it's good results
more by the mechanical action of its
bubbles pushing out the dirt than
killing the bacteria that may be in the
wound. After the wound has been
cleaned as thoroughly as possible APP
ply some mild antiseptic ointment as
boric acid ointment 10 per cent? or
carbolated vaseline 6 per cent?.