APPENDIX B 



FIRST AID TO THE INJURED 



Wounds. Injuries which penetrate the skin in any 

 way are called wounds. They should always be carefully 

 dressed, since they remove the protecting coat of the 

 body, the skin, and so afford entrance to the microbes 

 which lie upon its surface or come into contact with it. 

 These may be the microbes of such diseases as lockjaw 

 (tetanus), abscesses and erysipelas. Many cases of 

 tetanus arise each year as a result of some slight wound 

 such as is often made by the exploding caps of toy 

 pistols, which permits the tetanus germs lying upon 

 the skin to enter. A wound, therefore, may not only 

 be serious in itself but may produce serious results 

 through the entrance of microbes. 



The bleeding associated with wounds, if moderate in 

 amount, is beneficial, since it washes away the microbes 

 and has some power of checking their growth. Only, 

 however, in case it is in sufficient amount can it be 

 depended upon to protect the wound from germs. Even 

 in this case, the skin about the wound may be the source 

 of infection. 



Treatment: The proper treatment of any wound in- 

 volves, first, the stopping of the bleeding; and, second, 

 the prevention of infection. If a large artery has not 

 been cut, the bleeding should be stopped by applying 

 a sterile compress (see Appendix C) and a firm band- 



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