FAINTING 163 



coagulation of blood in the cut. Bleeding can always be 

 stopped by a light pressure over the wound itself, and 

 can be temporarily treated in an emergency by bandag- 

 ing a small pad firmly over the cut. 



"Poor" circulation. In many persons, the circula- 

 tion of the blood is said to be poor, because of a tend- 

 ency to cold hands and feet. In most cases, this is due 

 to the fact that not enough exercise is taken for the pro- 

 duction of heat in the body, that clothing warm enough 

 to protect the body against too great a loss of heat is 

 not worn, or that there is some nervous disorder which 

 leads to a disturbance of the vasomotor control. What- 

 ever the cause, the result is a chronic spasm of the arte- 

 rioles, which shuts the blood out of the extremities, leav- 

 ing them cold. The remedy depends upon the cause. 

 In many cases, the wearing of warm woolen undercloth- 

 ing is effective, especially if supplemented by frequent 

 periods of brisk exercise and by plenty of good fresh 

 air and wholesome food. 



Fainting. The circulation may also be temporarily 

 disturbed, especially in weak persons, by such causes as 

 nervous shock, the close warm air of a crowded room, or 

 severe pain. In these cases, the nerve control of the 

 heart is so deranged that the heart beats less forcibly 

 and less blood is pumped into the arteries. The blood 

 pressure in them is then too low to push the blood up 

 to the brain against the downward pull of gravity, and 

 the person becomes dizzy or even faints. The simple 

 remedy is to place the person thus affected with the 

 head lower than the body and to supply fresh cool air 

 for breathing, cold water for bathing the face and stim- 

 ulants such as aromatic salts. 



