DRESSINGS. 93 



culation. This last especially may be impeded by excessive pres- 

 sure. To avoid this, bandages apphed upon one of the extremities 

 of the body should be so placed as to dii-ect the pressure from the 

 periphery toward the center. If applied in the opposite direction, 

 more or less strangulation might result, causing considerable 

 swelliug below the bandage. In fact, all unnecessary or exag- 

 gerated pressure is liable to cause inflammatory swellings, erysip- 

 elous engorgements, or local gangrenes. 



The maintenance of an equal and regular pressiu'e will obviate 

 all danger of deformities of parts, and when methodically applied 

 upon ii'regular wounds, wherever needed, will serve to restore or 

 preserve them in the natural contour of the region. Neatness 

 and finish should be studied as much as possible, but not, of 

 course, at the expense of any of the special and essential objects 

 of the dressing. 



Besides these general rules there are others relating to minute 

 points and touching the various elements, which, as a combined 

 whole, constitute the completed transaction, such as those relating 

 to the topical treatment, to the material used, to the rollers or 

 bands, and to the bandages proper. The medicinal compounds 

 used for topical treatment are either appHed alone or through the 

 medium of other materials. They are of various natures and con- 

 sistencies, from that of the almost impalpable vapor used for 

 spraying, to the hquid forms in the numerous watery solutions, 

 alcoholic tinctures, and oils or hniments, to the hard and 

 other soHd compounds in the various astringent, absorbing, stimul- 

 ating or caustic powders, or the soft pharmaceutical mixtures, 

 the cerates, the pomades, the ointments, the plasters, poul- 

 tices, etc. 



The apphcation of the material used should receive attention 

 from the surgeon. An invariable rule should be to avoid all ir- 

 regularity, roughness and unevenness, and to be careful that the 

 exterior application rests upon a regular and uniform surface. 

 For this reason it should be the order, hi applying this material, 

 always to begin by using the smallest portions, increasing gradu- 

 ally to the largest, thus filling first the smaU infractuosities and 

 making an even surface, to be covered with larger ones and thin 

 pads, then with thicker ones, and finally with those of the widest 

 dimensions, which should bear a margin extending somewhat be- 

 yond the outlines of the wound. The entire dressing is to be 



