SUPERFICIAL FROST-BITES. 333. 



there is the same complete destruction of the deeper 

 tissues , sloughing", and ulceration ; and the same 

 subsequent difficulty of healing", and tendency to 

 gangrene. Each and all of these symptoms follow 

 every severe case, either of burning or of frost-bite. 

 As in the case of burns, frost-bites may of course be 

 of almost all degrees of intensity, and slight cases merely 

 extend to a deadness or numbness of the part, and are 

 easily recognised by the place turning white. The 

 person is at the outset usually ignorant of what has 

 occurred, as there is no pain. The first effect of 

 frost-bite is loss of sensation ; as long as sensation 

 continues the part is safe. When first bitten however, 

 if the thing is observed by a comrade and taken in 

 time, no very great harm is done, though return of 

 the circulation is usually accompanied by a severe 

 smarting or burning sensation, and the part remains 

 red and swollen for some time: it is also rendered 

 more liable to be again bitten than a sound part. It 

 is commonly supposed that the thing to do is, immedi- 

 ately on the discovery of a frost-bite, to rub the part 

 violently with snow: nothing however can be more 

 unwise, or even dangerous ; if the part is at all badly 

 frozen, in the case of fingers, toes, etc., it may detach 

 the flesh from the bone, and cause serious injury ; it 

 must be always remembered that frozen flesh will 

 break, if roughly handled, like a candle or piece of 

 wax its elasticity having been destroyed by freezing* 

 Even a woollen shirt for example, which has been 

 wetted, and then rigidly frozen, may be broken, if roughly 

 or violently bent. * If snow is used therefore, the 



* Sir J. Richardson, Boat Voyage through Rujber?s Land, 1851, Vol. 

 ii, p. 100. 



