STITCHING WOUNDS 



continues a belladonna lotion may be applied to the sting. 

 In serious cases, or if, unfortunately, the sting is in the 

 mouth, which sometimes happens, professional service should 

 be sent for at once, as a dangerous swelling, especially if the 

 seat of injury is near or in the throat, is likely to appear 

 very quickly, and it may become necessary to insert a tube 

 in the windpipe. (See Tracheotomy.') 



Stitching Wounds. — Silver wire is a better material for 

 use when wounds have to be stitched up than thread, as the 

 latter is liable to cause inflammation and pus to form, and 



Curved Needle, for stitching up wounds. 



the wire is easier to tighten or loosen as occasion may require 

 after the operation has been performed. Should the wound 

 be on a fleshy part of the body, it is better to try and close 

 it by bandaging, as the weight of the flesh is apt to cause the 

 stitches to tear through the skin. The best course to pursue 

 when the edges of a comparatively slight wound have to be 

 drawn together is to make each stitch or suture complete in 

 itself. This is called an mterrupted suture, and consists of 

 drawing each thread by means of a curved needle, and fix- 

 ing each one independently of 

 its neighbour. To do this the 

 edges of the wound should be 

 brought to as near their natural 

 position as possible, and the 

 point of the needle should be 

 pushed gently through the skin 

 at one side, across the wound, 

 and out at the other side, when 

 the wire should be knotted. Each stitch should be about 

 one inch apart, and the needle should enter the skin on one 



325 



Interrupted Suture. 



