33S ANNUAL REGISTER, 17()L 



is then laid over the whole, and 

 the same sort ot'diessing with chalk 

 and poultice is repeated morning 

 and evening till the sores are heal- 

 ed. 



In some cases, after the '.econd 

 or third day. if the sores are on a 

 part of the body where it is diffi- 

 cult to keep the poultice from 

 shifting, 1 use, instead of it, a plas- 

 ter, pretty thickly spread, of the 

 white lead ointment, tlifough the 

 day, (covering the sores previously 

 With chalk"), and chalk and poul- 

 tices through the night, as already 

 <iirccted, I also use the same kind 

 of white ointment, occasionall)^ 

 through the day, when I think the 

 constant renewal of poultices has 

 softened and relaxed the sores too 

 much; a circumstance which, not- 

 withstanding the abhoibenl quality 

 of the chalk, will, at times, in some 

 degree, happen. 



in cases where there are large 

 blisters, before I apply the vinegar, 

 I opeii them with a pin or lancet in 

 difierent parts, and gently press the 

 Vater out of them with a linen 

 cloth. The; intention of this is 

 to bring the vinrgar to act more 

 closely upon the burnt flesh, and I 

 have found it to have an excellent 

 effect. 



Whilst any of (he skin of the 

 blisters remains on the sore, matter 

 will form and lark under it, which 

 cannot be reached and absorbed by 

 the chalk. New punctures, there-- 

 fore, must be made at cveiy dres- 

 sing, whenever matter (which must 

 be gently pressed out with a cloth) 

 is seen lurking '; and as soon as the 

 skin has lost its toughness, so much 

 that it can be separated from the 

 sore without initatiug it, v.'hich in 

 general is the case on the second 

 or tliird day, it ought to be gently 



and gradually picked off when the 

 sores are dressed, and plenty of 

 chalk instantly laid on to prevent 

 any bad effects the air might have* 

 on sores in a state so highly suscep- 

 tible of injury. 



In severe cases, or snch as are 

 attended with excoriation or loss of 

 substance, when the vinegar is not 

 applied within twenty-four hours 

 of I he lime the accidents happen, 

 it nlitiost always gives considerable 

 pain ; but, if the patient can en- 

 dure it, the sores may safely be 

 welted all over for a quarter Or half 

 an hour, or even much longer. The 

 smarting is no doubt a little ii'k- 

 sonrie, but rt rs worst at tirst, and, 

 at any rate, goes off immediately 

 upon discontinuing the vinegar, and 

 Icnvcs the sores in a much cooler 

 or less inflamed state. If the pa- 

 tient, however, cannot, or will not 

 bear the vinegar on the raw and 

 tender parts of the sore, I then 

 cover those parts close with a plas- 

 ter of the white ointment, and wet 

 all round them with the vinegar, 

 for a quarter or half an hour, of 

 longer The ointment is then taken 

 qH] and the sores are covered with 

 tlie powdered chalk, and a poul- 

 tice laid over all ; and they are af- 

 terwards to be treated, in all re* 

 spects, till tliey heal, as the severer 

 sort of sores, to which the vinegar 

 has been early applied, are already 

 directed to be, after the pain and 

 heat have left tliem. 



The vinegar I prefer, is that 

 made of the brst white wine; but 

 any sort that has enough of acid 

 will answer, provided there be no 

 admixture of any mineral acid. Li 

 severe cases I generally warm the 

 vinegar before I use it, to nearly 

 bi( od-heat, especially in cold wea- 

 ther, aud where a great deal of it 



must 



