The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-21
Home Nursing

Emergencies You Should Recognize I<IMMY Y DEAR, it was quite exciting SS for few minutea,' said the , Girl in Green.
 "Lena cut her hand quite badly when she leaned against a shop window that was cracked and her wrist was badly cut, my dear, quite badly, though of course it wasn't an artery! The doc tod said she missed the artery by a fraction of an inch"
 And what did you do?' asked Coral Grey, swinging lazily on her front porch.
 We just dashed around the corner to a doctors, and in the meantime a 4 man stepped up with a flask, and you know how Lena is, she wouldn't dare takefa drop for fear she would become stantly! She was awfully pale and frightened and the man meant we'll he said a mouthfuh of brandy would save her from fainting. But she didn' t take it. The doctors, place was just around the corner, so that was that"
 And a very good thing that she did not take the brandy" said Cora's elder sister, trained nurse, who was sitting beside the tea table embroidering.
 Alcohol in any shape or form should never be given to an injured person who is bleeding from a wound, because it accelerates the heart action, in. creases the tension of the arteries and stimulates the circulation, thereby in- creasing the bleeding"
 T never knew that! !" said Coral, and Gerry, the girl in green, echoed her words, adding, "As a matter of knowl- edge of what's what in emergencies, anyway"
 "You girls should know something more of first aid and recognizing emer- gencies, especially when you are such harum-scarums, driving cars, riding, swimming and hiking" said the trained nurse, severely.
 Gould either of you recognize a sprain, mean tell whether an injury was a sprain, fracture or q disloca- tion?" she askd.
 Neither could.
 " A fracture, a sprain and a disloca- tion are fairly alike, in that there is severe pain, deformity and loss of func- tion," explained the nurse. But with fractures one may get a hemorrhage- in the case of a compound fracture, which is the kind in which the ends of the broken bone tear through the flesh, A simple fracture is the kind in which there is no flesh injury. But by carelessly moving a simple fracture you may cause it to become com pound one. That is why the average person should move a broken limb as little as possible while rendering first aid.
 If there is hemorrhage, of course it must be checked or a person will quick ly bleed to death Pressure. or the ap- plication of a tourniquet are the quick est way to check bleeding.
 "One should straighten a broken limb into normal position and if possible lmprovlse splint to support it. But 1t IS better not to move a person with fracture until you can get shutter or door or some improvised stretcher to i,.C: carry IT. him on to prevent further in
 Shock always accompanies a frac- ture. The way to treat for shock is to cover the patient warmly, give him hot drink, plenty of fresh air, and urge him to rest.
 "A dislOcation is the displacement of joint, with injury to the fragments that bind the bone. It is recognized by deformity and loss of function, also great pain. Often dislocations are con | fused with fractures.
 "A sprain is a wrenching or twist ing of a joint, with injury to the liza ments and blood vessels, accompanied by bleeding into and around the joint which causes swelling and discolora- tion. There is severe pain. Applica- tion Of cold cloths to keep down the ! swelling is the best first aid for either sprains or dislOcations. The injured joint should be supported, too, and the patient treated for shock"
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