CHAPTER A'. 



WOUNDS, SPRAINS, BRUISES, ABRASIONS, AND ABSCESSES. 



WOUNDS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



Wounds (separations of the soft tissues) are classed as: Incised 

 wounds, or cuts; lacerated wounds, or tears; and punctured wounds, or 

 holes. 



A dressing is a local, periodically repeated treatment, producing 

 a continued action, and often following the performance of an opera- 

 tion. It is the application upon the surface of the wound of healing 

 substances, which, in some cases, are mechanically held in place by 

 bandages, stitches, etc. 



Before applying a dressing the wound should be thoroughly 

 cleansed and freed from blood, pus, the remains of previous dressing, 

 and, in a word, of any foreign or other substances capable of becoming 

 sources of irritation. This is best done with water, but the effect is 

 frequently greatly improved by combining with it some of the anti- 

 septics, such as carbolic acid, creolin, bichloride of mercury, etc. 



Antiseptics are remedies winch prevent putrefaction, or rotting, 

 and their combinations with water are called solutions. 



The solution may be applied by carefully passing a saturated 

 ball of oakum over the surface of the wound, or it may be used more 

 freely in larger ablutions (washings). Crusts or scabs, if present, 

 may be removed with the scissors or scraped away with the knife, 

 but *the finger nails must never be used for such a purpose, for the 

 practice is both filthy and dangerous. The wound is to be handled 

 only when necessary; all needless handling irritates. If the wound 

 is deep, it should be cleansed by syringing. 



The essential condition of cleanliness applies not only to the wound 

 but also to the materials used for dressings, and soiled cloths or 

 bandages and dirty oakum must be rigorously rejected; everything 

 (Dining in contact with a. wound must be absolutely clean, hands as 

 well as instruments and dressings. Instruments, however, should 

 never be immersed in the bichloride solution, which rapidly corrodes 

 metal. 

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