269 



If he has been wounded and bleeds, the bleeding must 

 be stopped before he is removed. 



Having reached a house, lay him on a bed, and undress 

 him with care and gentleness. If any difficulty arises 

 in getting off his coat or pantaloons, rip up the seams, 

 rather than use force. This being done, proceed to as- 

 certain the nature of the injury. 



This may be either simple or compound; that is, it 

 may be a contusion or bruise, a wound, fracture or dislo- 

 cation, or it may be two or all of them united in one or 

 several parts. 



A contusion is the necessary consequence of every 

 blow, and is known by the swelling and discoloration of 

 the skin. 



Wounds are self-evident. 



Fractures are known by the sudden and severe pain, 

 by the mis-shapen appearance of the limb, sometimes by 

 its being shortened, by the patient being unable to move 

 it without excruciating pain, but most certainly, by grasp- 

 ing the limb above and below the spot where the fracture 

 is supposed to exist, and twisting it different ways, when 

 a grating will be felt, occasioned by the broken ends of 

 the bone rubbing against each other. If the swelling, 

 however, is very great, this experiment should not be 

 made until it is reduced. 



Dislocations, or bones being out of joint, are known by 

 the deformity of the joint when compared with its fellow, 

 by the pain and inability to move the limb, by its being 

 longer or shorter than usual, and by the impossibility of 

 moving it in particular directions. 



OF SPRAINS. 



Plunge the part sprained into very cold water, and 

 hoM it there as long at a time as you can bear it for 



