Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-26
Health Talks by DR.. Brady
Nature ncnrs WATCHING.

Nature is very good surgeon II Won tecn
Il sharp eye on him. Without close watcbinr
"''uFc Is not concerned ut all whether tho
N'c''h OF wound or injury comes out with
some dcformty only so the wound Is healed
ne pest surgeon Is he who lets nature do
most or the work. but watches every minute
an" restrains or guides him when the pa
''"Hts interests demand il.
Now take proud flesh Proud flesh :, nm.
Oh natures proudest achievements and II never
does the patient one bit OF good Proud
hcSh ~, in medical verbiage. cxubcrunt a,rJnu
!ation tissue. All healing or replacement of
"'S'ro!cd or lost tissue Is done by scaffoldinv
formulation tissue is that soft, rcd ycIvc,y
Granular looking raw surface. as of n burn
~ "'"er uicer when 1t Is In proper condition
TO he covered by the skin. 1t Is made nm of
iit;le tufts Of new blood vessels cement ed n nd
hiied in with tender new conncctiye t,ssu.
IL amounts TO kind OF scaToldinr upon
winch the new part is gradually buil, hc n
muscle SKIN. or bone. Sometimes nature Laws
GOWN 100 much granulat ton tissue, under som.
abnormal or prolonged irritation and the scat
i"lding grows up to height above the level
VI ,!'e surrounding structure. and that is proud
Hcsh' IL sccms dnicuit or impossible for skin
to grow uphill. so a wound or burn in which
proud hesh develops is slow 10 heal until the
scanoiding IL cut back To the propcr levc,-
winch cutting is best done with scissors or
''"cr instrument in the doctors hands since
Sranulation tissue has nerves and is there
i"re ihschFitive. The ancient pract Ice of burn
ing 1t down by means of caustics has hoo,
discarded because II was unclcanly aud un-
satisfactory. besides being no less painful than
the present method
ANY wound, no matter how triflinC hcnls
more promptly ii ii be kept at rest Every-
bodE knows how difficult il is to heal a triflino,
insure or crack In the lip because IL Ia so
uiWcuit TO place the part rest. But how
Few realize that this same principle applies to
the treatment of wounds OF the hand and
'hat sPilh's' sings. casts. bandages and other
seemingly cumbersome and supcrs.uous sun
ports are OF value precisely because tbey al
lord some degree OF rest to the wounded mart
NO" II one can apply to the lin crack n sa,is-
factory coliodiOn dressing or Support II with
a"hcSiVc plaster straps, even just at night
me assure Will heal much more RAPIDLY than
III VIII under any mere medicinal aDDlicatIon
ANA TINS same principle Of physiological rest
us an important aid to natural hcaline, war
rants the internal use Of drugs narcotics niIls
ana potions, in many eases of serious injury
or Inflammation which might terminate fatnl
~ without the Of drugs and the bnroic
use OF them Nature and drugs intellipeu,lv
used. make Il team powerful for good as
nature unmatched is powerful for evil
Rest can be ovcrdonc in the tr,ntucn, Of
burns. fractures. injuries or wounds Al
certain stage In the healing process IL may
be necessary TO manipulate. move or use the
injured part regularly In order to prevent
deformty from adhcs,ons ana hcra
again. must nature be watch i.y the phy-
stefan. in the welfare of the patient