INCISKI) WOUNDS. 440 



hjcmoiTlia«;o ; 2. To r('in()V(^ forci^Mi Ixxlica; .'{. To orfuct and 

 inaiTitairi co-adjipUiMoii ; and 4. 'I\» ^nuird jiirainHl oxc^cHHivo 

 infljiniiriiiiioii. (I.) n;i'nionliM|^M', wlicMicr niiilicial or vc.iiouh, 

 is lo l)(3 {urcHlcd, jiiid tliiM i.s Mic, lirMl, Miin^^ UimI, irniHl, IxMiMcMidcd 

 to. If it ariscH IVoiri Ji, .sin.ill uvUwj puvi'mUy cut, blood of a 

 l)ri«;lit red colour (Iowh or m|»uiI,m ouI, in jcl-H ; })ut if it bo coin- 

 ])lei(;ly out across, tlic ends contriid,, and I Im^ Imriiorrluii^o ceases. 

 In some caihv.h ilie 1)l(',(;dinf^ will (lontiniK; nHJion^fh tlie n,rt(!ry be 

 divid«'.d conipleU^ly jutohh, or will inke pljice from l-inie l,o time, 

 and jH'ove aeiiouH. Jn hi:»'1i inMf,}i,neeH tlie end of Mi(5 jirtciy niust 

 be searclied for, drawn oiil by Mui forceps, and tied by a li;^at-nr(i ; 

 occasionnlly it will be found necessary lo cnlar^^e tlie wound to 

 do tliin effeeiiiiiily. 



Venous bleedin^^ is generally ejiHily nrrested by moderate 

 ])ressure, or ])y an astringent ;i,p|)lic.'i,ti()n, hiicJi im a solution of 

 tlie tincture of tcrrc.hloride of ircui. As ji, riih^, even tbesc; sliglit 

 a.ppli(5ationfl are nnncc-essary, vciioum l)le(!(linM; stoppinj^ spon- 

 taneously if tlic, wound is expOMcd to cold ;iir ; but if Ji, largo 

 vein be, wounded, it is oFtcii necesssiry to tic, it witli ji, ligjiture. 



When tlie bleeding i.s Jirrcsted, nil clots of blood, dirt, and 

 foi'cign bodies are to be removed IVoni \.\h\ wound by careful 

 s[)onging with tepid w;il,er. In sponging u, wound, cjire must 

 be taken not to injure its surface; by ;i,ny undue pressun;. It 

 is quite sudicicnit to squeeze the wiit(a- out of the sponge on to 

 the wound, without tla; sj)ong(i being brought into conl,!i,ct with 

 it. This is e.-isily done by placing thc^ sfionge n,t a little dis- 

 tance above the wound, and jillovving tin; w.'iter to flow gently 

 over the wounded surfjice. If any materials ;i,re lirrnly im- 

 bedded ill the tissues, they riiiist be renioved by the forceps oi* 

 the point of th(} finger. ( !le;ining wounds with a, (coarse briiHli 

 cannot be too highly condenmed. 



In wounds when; muscular (ibrcM are deeply cul, if, is recom- 

 mended, more especially by Mr. Syme, that the wound should 

 remain open for a,l)out ei<dit hours, for the jiurpose of allowing 

 the disci ia.rges of blood and serum to ( escape ; or if sutunjs are 

 imm(;(liately em]»loy(;d, they should be a|)plied in such a loose 

 marincT as to allow tlu; blood and seroMity to escape, and all 

 clots which m.'iy afterwards form washctd out. This is good 

 ])ra(;tice, and ensures he-aling })y adhesion in many cas(!S that 

 would otherwise run on to the more tardy [jroceas of granulation. 



20 



