Wounds] 337 [Wounds 



medicated wool or antiseptic gauze, or failing 

 either of these, a clean sponge wrung out in 

 some hot water and bandaged firmly over the 

 wound, will generally answer. This is cleaner 

 and better than applying a stringent, as the 

 tincture of iron or Friar's Balsam, though in 

 some cases it may be necessary, and the pressure 

 afterwards applied. Four or five hours after- 

 wards the temporary dressing may be removed, 

 and after cutting off the hair from the edges 

 of the wound it should be thoroughly cleaned 

 with a solution of Pearson's Disinfectant Fluid, 

 i in 1 20 of warm water, or with a teaspoonful 

 of boracic acid in half a pint of warm water. All 

 dirt, clots of blood, hairs, etc., must be removed, 

 and if it is an incised wound the edges should 

 be brought together with stitches of strong silk, 

 catgut, or silver wire ; failing any of these, pin 

 sutures may be used in the following way : A 

 pin should be run through the skin on either 

 side of the wound about a quarter of an inch 

 from the edge, and the severed edges brought 

 close together and kept there by winding a 

 piece of cotton, figure-eight fashion, round the 

 pin. Each pin should be placed about the 

 third or half an inch apart, and after applying 

 the cotton the point and head should be 

 cut off. Afterwards cover the wound over 

 with a few layers of dry antiseptic gauze, and 

 bandage. Two days afterwards the gauze may 

 be changed, but the wound need not be inter- 

 fered with so long as it is dry and there is no 

 swelling. If there is much swelling, one suture 



