THE EMIGRANT'S HA.VD-BOOK. 275 



withdraw any foreign body, as part of a needle, splinters, 

 bit of a glass, etc. that may be in it, provided it can be 

 done easily : and if enlarging the wound a little will enable 

 you to succeed in this, do so. Though it is not always 

 necessary to enlarge wounds of this nature, yet in hot 

 weather it is a work of precaution, which should never be 

 omitted. As soon as this is done, pour a little turpentine 

 into the wound, or touch it with caustic, and then cover it 

 with a poultice, moistened with laudanum. This practice 

 may prevent locked-jaw, which is but too frequent a con- 

 sequence of wounds of this description. When matter 

 forms, cover the part with mild dressings, as a common 

 sore. Laudanum may be given in large doses, to relieve 

 pain, and should the inflammation be excessive, bleed and 

 purge. In hot weather, however, bleeding should be em- 

 ployed in great moderation. 



CONTUSED WOUNDS. 



Wounds of this nature are caused by round or blunt bod- 

 ies, as musket balls, clubs, stones, etc. They are in general 

 attended but by little bleeding ; if, however, there should 

 be any, it must be stopped. If it arises from a ball which 

 can be easily found and withdrawn, it is proper to do so, as 

 well as any piece of the clothing, etc., that may be in it; 

 or if the ball can be distinctly felt directly under the skin, 

 make an incision across it, and take it out, but never al- 

 low any poking in the wound to search for such things ; 

 the best extractor of them, as well as the first and best 

 application in contused wounds, proceed from what they 

 may, being a soft bread-and-milk poultice. 



Should the inflammation be great, bleed and purge. 

 Pain may be relieved by laudanum, and if the parts as- 

 sume a dark look, threatening mortification, cover them 

 with a blister. 



