The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-07-31

has lifted man above the brutes,
but his hand. The fact that We
can oppose our thumbs TO each
Of our fingers has done more for
us than the fact that we can de-
fine an isosceles triangle.
Mature has developed in the
hand a finely coordinated motor
and sensory organ which has
made possible our present civili-
zation," wrote DR.. Michael Mason.
"The hand is composed of COM
pact and efficiently balanced mus
cles, tendons and joints, motor
and sensory nerves and special
lied nerve endings. Bulk and
protection are sacrificed to eff
cheney, there is nothing to spare,
each part is reduced TO a mini
num-"
The human hand having this
marvellous efficiency and also in
satiable curiosity, sticking itself
into all sorts Of machinery, giving
here the fywheel a little extra
spin, and trying to pry open
sticking screen door, naturally
quite often gets itself into trouble.
And since, as DR.. Mason points
out, it has nothing to spare, when
an injury occurs it is the problem
of the surgeon to make as COM
plete a restoration as possible.
Danger of Infection
The greatest danger to the
hand after injury is infection.
A cellulitis, what used to be called
blood poisoning, with inflamma-
ton running up the tendon
sheaths and lymphatics of the
hand and arm may cripple such
q member forever. Any injury TO
the hand then must be examined
and treated under the strictest
possible conditions of surgical
asepsis.
A splinter or any penetrating
body should be removed provided
the removal does not cause too
much tissue destruction and open
the liability to more infection. If
there is the slightest tendency for
one of these wounds to "fester",
the hand and arm should be
smothered in wet dressings of
boric, alcohol and a few drops of
phenol and kept hot and moist un-
til the Inflammation subsidies
Various Hand Injuries
Industrial surgeons have this
to say about various types Of hand
injuries:
Human bites-These are usual
ly incidental to fist fights and
hence the wound is usually on the
knuckle and tooth penetration
often enters one of the tendons.
Experience leads us ~ believe"
writes DR.. Vinton E. Siler, Of Gin
cinnati, chat doctors, hospital
residents and interns do not have
enough respect for this injury.
Many patients are examined in
the admitting ward, given first
aid, discharged and told to return
if the wound does not heal. A
human bite injury, if not treated
properly at the time, will usually
lead to serious infection. Splint-
ing and moist hoat are indicated
in all human bite injuries. In a
series Of hand injuries, the cause
was a human bite in 10 per cent.
Wrinoer injuries-These are
not limited to people working in
laundries. Children suffer them
frequently. Since the rollers of
the wringer produce equal pres
sure on two sides the injury is
usually limited to soft tissues.
Fractures do not occur very often,
but there is confusion and bleed
ing into the tissue spaces. Unless
the skin is injured they are treat
ed by splinting and a pressure
dressing.
Blood cIot under the fn0erndi
This common injury is very
common and very painful, but not
serious. No treatment needs usu-
ally to be instituted. There is q
great temptation to drill an open
ing through the nail to let the
clot out, but this procedure is usu-
ally not successful and invites in
lection. The throbbing pain is
bad for "a hours, but can be con-
trolled by heat and aspirin, or at
the worst by codeine. Sometimes
the blood clot gets so large that
it is necessary to remove part Of
the nail, but this is the exception
and very rare.