FIRST HELP IN ACCIDENTS 



331 



pulse) j venous is dark-colored, and flows continuously. If a 

 larger vessel of the arm or leg has been injured, and cannot be 

 controlled by direct pressure, tie a 

 cord or handkerchief loosely around 

 the limb away from the wound on 

 the side nearest the heart, put a 

 stick through it and twist until the 

 bleeding stops. In addition to this, 

 tie a pad firmly on the wound. Loss 

 of blood from arteries is apt to be 

 more rapid and dangerous than that 

 from veins, and when the cut vessel 

 is a large one, the skill of the sur- 

 geon will ordinarily be required in 

 order to close the bleeding artery 

 permanently and securely. 



It is well, in every household, to 

 have, in some handy and well-known 

 place, some strips of old muslin and 

 some lint, or oakum, a bandage or 

 two, and some adhesive plaster, a soft sponge, and needles and 

 thread in a basket or box by themselves. In this way, valu- 

 able time may be saved in the staunching of blood, flowing in 

 consequence of some accidental cut or other injury. 



5. Fractures and Dislocations. A broken bone in surgical 

 language is called a fracture ; a bone out of its joint is called 

 a dislocation. When, in addition to the fracture, there is pre- 

 sent a laceration of the soft parts surrounding it, the muscles 

 and the skin, so that the broken end of a bone protrudes 

 through the latter, we speak of it as a compound fracture. The 

 symptoms of a fracture are : pain and inability to move the 

 affected limb ; there will be mobility at the point of the frac- 

 ture, and the broken ends of the bone may be felt to grate 

 upon each other;, if the leg be broken at any point the patient 

 will be unable to stand upon it. 



The symptoms of a dislocation are: altered shape of the 



FIG. 80 



5. Describe a fracture ; a dislocation ; a compound fracture ; symptoms of each. What 

 can be done for each, pending the arrival of surgical aid ? 



