INFLAMMATION 



161 



as to stop the circulation in the central part of the in- 

 flamed area. The white blood corpuscles are thus de- 

 prived of nutriment and oxygen by being shut off from 

 the fresh blood and become so 

 weakened that they cannot over- 

 come the invading microbes. As a 

 result, they frequently die in great 

 numbers, together with the tissue 

 in which they are lodged. The 

 white corpuscles, the dead tissue 

 and the microbes are then thrown 

 off as pus. The clogging of the 

 tissue by the white corpuscles 

 has a beneficial result, however, 

 in that it shuts off from the gen- 

 eral circulation the microbes which 

 have caused the disturbance. It is 

 usually considered wise to cut into 

 an actively inflamed area early, in 

 order to get rid of the microbes. 

 The destruction of good tissue 

 and the formation of a large scar 

 are thereby avoided. 



Bleeding from arteries. In 

 accidents where large arteries are 

 cut, the bleeding is copious be- 

 cause of the high pressure which 

 pushes the blood out in strong 

 spurts. In the case of a large cut 

 in a fair-sized artery, the whole 

 arterial system may empty itself 



in a short time and death result. The bleeding can best be 

 stopped by applying pressure to the artery at some point 

 where it comes near the surface in its course from the 



FIG. 93. Diagram showing 

 where important arteries 

 come near enough to sur- 

 face to have pressure 

 applied. 



