AND FAMILY DISPENSATORY, | wy 
ewith tafe on accopnt of the patient’s weaknels, or lofs of bi blood, they thuft be 
Suffered to remain inthe wound, and afterwards extratted when he is more able to 
bear it, When a wound penetrates into any of the cavities ‘of the body, as ‘the 
breaft, the bowels, &c. or where any confiderable blood-velfel i is cut, a skilful fur. 
geon ought immediately to be called, otherwife the | patient may lofe his life. But 
fometimes the difcharge of blood is fo great, that, if ic bé not ftopped, the patient 
may die, even before a furgeon, though at no great diftance, can arrive. Yn this 
cafe, fomething muft be done by thofe who are prefent. If the wound be in any of 
the limbs, the bleeding may generally be ftopped by applying a tight ligature or 
bandage round the member alittle above the wound. In parts where this baridage 
cannot be applied, various other methods may be tried to ftop the bleeding, a$ the 
application of ftyptics, aftringents, &c. Cloths dipped in a folution of blue vierio? 
in water, or the ftyptic water of the difpenfatories, may be applied to the wound. 
When thefe cannot be obtained, ftrong fpirits of wine may be ufed. Some recom~ 
mend the agaric of the oak as preferable to any of the other ftyptics, and indeed it 
deferves confiderable encomiums, Iris eafily obtained, and ought to be’ kept in 
every family, in cafe of accidents. A piece of it muft be laid upon the wound, and 
covered with a good deal of lint, above which a bandage may’ be applied ‘fo riche a9 
to keep i itfirmly on. Though fpirits, tinétutes, ‘and ‘hot balfams, may be wfed, in 
order to ftop the bleeding when it is exceflive, they are improper’ at other times. 
They donot promote but retard the cure, and often change a fimple wound tito an 
ulcer. People imagine, becaufe hot balfams congeal the blood, and feem, as it were, 
to folder up the wound, that they therefore heal. it; but this is only a deception. 
They may indeed ftop the flowing blood, by fearing the mouths of the veffels; but, 
by rendering the parts callous, they obftruét the cure. » When @ wound is greatly 
ied: the moft proper application is a poultice of bread and milic, foftened with 
a little fwéet oiF or frefh butter. «This muft ‘be applied inftead of a plaifter, and 
thould be thatiged twice a-day. ‘If the wound be large, and there is: reafon to fear 
dn inflamitiation, the patient fhowld be kepton'@ very femoedinng Sten stuf shisin 
foi Meth, ftrong Fiquors, and every thing’ that is of a heating nature. If he be ofa 
fill habit; and ‘has Toft but little blood from the wound, he! mutt be-bleds and, if 
be repeated. But; when the paticnt bag 
the fymptoms be urgént, the operation may 
been greatly weakened by lofs of blood from the wound, it wil] be dangerous to 
fhéuld-enfue,) Nature fhould never be (90 Fat, 6% 
bleed him even though a fever 
haufted : it is always more fafe toallow her to ftruggie with the Gear es wa 
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