The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-02-09

Process OF Healing.
| In those cases where perfect stop
page of bleeding, perfect joining o
the edges of the wound, and perfec
cleanliness are obtained, healing oc
ours rapidly, without the formation
of granulations, pus or proud flesh
/ by what is termed first intention. I
wounds do not heal In this manne
they will gap somewhat and becom
warm and painful. Healing then oc
ours by granulation or with suppura
ton, which is termed healing by sec
ond intention. The sides Of tn
wound become covered with granula
tion tissue which may fill the wount
and sometimes overlap the lips, form
ing a fungoid growth called prout
flesh. Under favorable conditions thu
edges of the wound appear to grow to
gether by the end of the first week
and the whole surface gradually be
comes dry, and finally covered witt
pigmented skin, when the wound is
| healed.
All antlseptics are not equally de
structive, and some germs are more
susceptible to one antiseptic than tC
another. The most important are ~
bichloride Of mercury, which is to be
preferred on horses. 1t becomes weak.
ened in its action If placed in a wood
en- pail or on an oily or greasy sur
face. 1t is used In the strength of 1
part of bichloride to 1000 to 5000
parts Of water, according to the deli
cacy of the tissue to which it Is ap-
piled. (2) Carbolic acid in from 2
to 5 per cent solution is used on In
fected wounds and for cleaning In
struments, dressings and sponges. 1t
unites well with oil and Is preferred
to the bichloride on greasy surface.
A 8 per cent solution in oil is often
used under the name of carbolized oil.
(3) Aluminium acetate is an efficient
and cheap antiseptic, and is composed
of l part alum and parts ace
tate of lead, mixed in 20 parts of wa
ter. (4) Boric acid is good, in a 2 to
A per cent solution, to cleanse wounds
and wash eyes. Compound cresol may
be used in l to 3 per cent solution
in water. Iodoform acts as an ano-
dyne, stimulates granulation and
checks wound secretion. A very eff
cacious and inexpensive powder is
made by taking 5 parts Of. iodoform
and 95 parts Of sugar, making what is
called iodoform sugar. Tannic acid is
4 useful drug in the treatment of
wounds, as 1t arrests hemorrhage,
checks secretion and favors the for
nation of scab. A mixture of /
part tannic acid and parts iodo-'
form is good in suppurating wounds.
Iodol, white sugar, ground and roast
ed coffee and powdered charcoal are
all used as protectives and absorbents
on Suppurating surfaces. More de-
pends on the care and the method of
application of the drug than on the
drug itself.
On aseptic wounds use only those
that do not irritate the tis--
sue. If care is used in the application
Of the antiseptic, corrosive sublimate
or carbolic acid is to be recommended.
In order to keep air from the wound
and to absorb all wound. secretions
rapidly, dressing should be applied.
If the wound is aseptic, the dressing
should be likewise, such as sterilized
cotton gauze, oakum or tow. This
dressing should be applied with uni
form pressure at all times and Sc
cured by bandage. Allow it to re-
main for week or ten days If the
wound is aseptic or If the dressing
iOes not become loose or misplaced or
become drenched with secretions from
he wound, or If pain, fever or loss of
lppetite does not develop. The dress
ng should then be removed, the wound
reated antiseptically, and sterilized
lressing applied.
Healing Under Scab.
This often occurs in small superb
.ial wounds that have been kept asep-
ic. In order that scab may form,
he wound must not gap, secrete free
Y or become infected with germs. The
ormation Of scab is favored by |
stringents or styptics, such as tannic
cid, iodoform and per cent solution
t zinc chloride. In case of fistulous
vithers, open joints or other large,
oliow wounds that cannot be dressed,
ntisepsis may be obtained by warm
Fater irrigation, with or without an
ntiseptic fluid. 1t should continue
ay and night, and never be interrupt
d for more than eight hours, for
erms will then have gained headway
nd will be difficult to remove. Four
r five days Of irrigation will be suf-
cient, for granulations will then have
Drmed and pus will remain on the
utside II 1t forms.
The following rules for the treat
lent Of wounds should be followed:
y See that the wound is clean, re-
loving oil foreign bodies. For this
urpose, use clean finger rather
IAN probe. (2) All hemorrhage
lould be arrested before closing the
ound. (3) Antiseptics should only
2 used when 1t is suspected that the
ound is infected. (4) When pus is
resent treat without closing the
ound. This may be accomplished
7 drainage tubes, absorbent Dress
gs or continuous irrigations. (5)
rotect the wound against infection
lille healing.