326 



ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. 



pain is felt, and a change of color appears, 

 then cease the rubbing, and apply cloths 

 wet with ice-water, and subsequently if 

 active inflammation follow, and suppura- 

 tion result, a solution of carbolic acid in 

 water, one part to thirty, should be ap- 

 plied. If mortification set in, amputation 

 is generally necessary. 



Where persons suffer from the consti- 

 tutional effects of cold, hot stimulants 

 should be given internally, and the body 

 rubbed briskly with the hands -and warm 

 flannel. 



GUNSHOT WOUNDS.— See Wounds. 



HANGING, Apparent Death from. — 

 Persons found hanging should be cut 

 down immediately and the cord removed 

 from the neck, and similar means em- 

 ployed to re-establish breathing, as in 

 cases of drowning or suffocation from 

 other causes, except that the head should 

 be kept somewhat raised to assist in re- 

 lieving the congestion ot the brain and 

 its membranes which always results. (See 

 Asphyxia.) 



INSECT BITES. — See Bites and 

 Stings. 



POISONS, and their Antidotes.— When 

 a person has taken poison, the first thing 

 to do is to compel the patient to vomit, 

 and for that purpose give any emetic that 

 can be most readily and quickly obtained, 

 and which is prompt and energetic, but 

 safe in its action. For this purpose, 

 there is, perhaps, nothing better than a 

 large teaspoonful of ground mustard in a 

 tumblerful of warm water, and it has the 

 advantage of being almost always at hand. 

 If the dry mustard is not to be had, use 

 mixed mustard from the mustard pot. Its 

 operation may generally be facilitated by 

 the addition of a like quantity of com- 

 mon table-salt. If the mustard is not at 

 hand, give two or three teaspoonfuls of 

 powdered alum in syrup or molasses, and 

 give freely of warm water to drink; or 

 give ten to twenty grains of sulphate of 

 zinc (white vitriol), or twenty to thirty 

 grains of ipecac, with one or two grains 

 of tartar emetic, in a large cup of warm 

 water, and repeat every ten minutes until 

 three or four doses are given, unless free 

 vomiting is sooner produced. 



After vomiting has taken place, large 

 draughts of warm water should be given 

 the patient, so that the vomiting will con- 

 tinue until the poisonous substances have 



been thoroughly evacuated, and then suit- 

 able antidotes should be given. If vomit- 

 ing cannot be produced, the stomach- 

 pump should be used. 



When it is known what particular kind 

 of poison has been swallowed, then the 

 proper antidote for that poison should be 

 given, but when this cannot be ascertain- 

 ed, as is often the case, give freely of 

 equal parts of calcined magnesia, pulver- 

 ized charcoal, and sesquioxide of iron, in 

 sufficient quantity of water. This is a 

 very harmless mixture, and is likely to be 

 of great benefit, as the ingredients, though 

 very simple, are antidotes for the most 

 common and active poisons. 



In case this mixture cannot be obtain- 

 ed, the stomach should be soothed and 

 protected by the free administration of 

 demulcent, mucilaginous, or oleaginous 

 drinks, such as the whites of eggs, milk, 

 mucilage of gum arabic, or slippery elm 

 bark, flaxseed tea, starch, wheat flour, or 

 arrow-root mixed in water, linseed or 

 olive oil, or melted butter or lard. Sub- 

 sequently the bowels should be moved by 

 some gentle laxative, as a tablespoonful 

 or two of castor oil, or a teaspoonful of 

 calcined magnesia; and pain or other 

 evidence of inflammation must be relieved 

 by the administration of a few drops of 

 laudanum, and the repeated application 

 of hot poultices, fomentations and mustard 

 plasters. 



The following are the names of the 

 articles that may give rise to poisoning, 

 most commonly used, and their antidote : 



ACIDS, MINERAL— Sulphuric Acid 

 (Oil of Vitriol), Nitric Acid (Aquafortis), 

 Muriatic Acid (Spirits of Salts). 



Symptoms. — Acid burning taste in the 

 mouth, acute pain in the throat, stomach, 

 and bowels; frequent vomiting, gen- 

 erally bloody, mouth and lips excoriated, 

 shrivelled, white or yellow; hiccough, 

 copious stools, more or less bloody, with 

 great tenderness in the abdomen; difficult 

 breathing, irregular pulse, excessive thirst, 

 while drink increases the pain and rarely 

 remains in the stomach; frequent but 

 vain efforts to urinate; cold sweats, alter- 

 ed countenance; convulsions generally 

 preceding death. Nitric acid causes yel- 

 low stains; sulphuric acid, black ones. 



Treatment. — Mix calcined magnesia 

 in milk or water to the consistence of 

 cream, and give freely to drink a glass 



