THE EMIGRANT'S HAND-BOOK. 273 



fyound, and let it remain there till the blood coagulates, 

 when it may be removed, and a compress and bandage 

 be applied. 



INCISED WOUNDS. 



By an incised wound is meant a clean cut. Having 

 stopped the bleeding, wash away all dirt, etc., that may 

 be in it with a sponge and warm water, then draw the 

 sides of the wound together, and keep them in that position 

 by narrow strips of sticking-plaster, placed on at regular 

 distances, or from one to two inches apart. A soft com- 

 press of old linen or lint may be laid over the whole. 



Should much inflammation follow, remove the strips, 

 bleed and purge the patient, (who should live very low, 

 and be kept perfectly quiet,) according to the exigency of 

 the case. If it is plain that matter must form before the 

 wound will heal, apply a soft poultice before that event 

 takes place, when dressings of some simple ointment may 

 be substituted for it. 



Although narrow strips of linen, spread with sticking- 

 plaster, form the best means of keeping the sides of a 

 wound together, when they can be applied, yet in the ear, 

 nose, tongue, lips, and eyelids, it is necessary to use 

 stitches, which are made in the following manner : Hav- 

 ing armed a common needle with a double waxed thread, 

 pass the point of it through the skin, at a little distance 

 from the edge of the cut, and bring it out of the opposite 

 one, at the same distance. If more than one stitch is re- 

 quired, cut off the needle, thread it again, and proceed as 

 before, until a sufficient number are taken, leaving the 

 threads loose until all the stitches are passed, when the 

 respective ends of each thread must be tied in a hard dou- 

 ble knot, drawn in such a way that it bears a little on the 

 side of the cut. When the edges of the wound are partly 

 12* 



