158 CUTS AND WOUNDS. 



motes the circulation. When the muscles relax, the veins 

 fill again; and then the next muscular contraction forces 

 the blood inside them on towards the heart. In this 

 way muscular exercise is a great help to the heart in 

 keeping up the flow of blood. 



When you feel cold, a brisk walk or run, or, if the 

 weather is too severe for outdoor exercise, indoor gym- 

 nastics, will warm you sooner and better than sitting over 

 a fire. This is especially the case with coldness of the 

 feet. Toasting them over a fire is of little use. They be- 

 come cold again almost as soon as you leave the fire. But 

 a brisk walk or an active game will soon increase the cir- 

 culation, and make the feet warm for the rest of the day. 



6. Cuts and Wounds. If the wound be made by a clean 

 sharp instruqfcnt and the bleeding is not great, press its 

 edges together and hold them in place by a moderately 

 tight bandage. The edges of a gaping wound may need 

 to be held together by sticking-plaster; in other cases it 

 does no good. Wounds which a single wider strip of 

 plaster will not hold at all, may be nicely held together 

 by separate narrow strips from J- to f of an inch wide, 

 according to the nature of the cut. Taking one, warm 

 and fasten it on the farther side of the wound. Pull the 

 loose end of the strip towards you and press the nearer 

 lip of the wound against the farther one, then fasten the 

 rest of the strip firmly down and hold it till it sets. 

 Proceed in like way with the other strips. Ointments 

 and salves are never necessary to promote the healing of 

 a simple clean cut, and very often do harm. 



the blood? How does this affect the heart? Why is it better to 

 warm yourself by exercise than by sitting over a fire ? 



6. What is the proper treatment for a " clean" cut? If its edges 

 gape? How should sticking-plaster be put on large cuts? What is 

 said of ointments and salves ? What should be done if there is dirt in 



