TREATMENT OF WOUNDS 37 



the expensive paint oils over the cheap mineral 

 oils. Linseed oil does not result in so permanent 

 a dressing as does mineral oil. At the suggestion 

 of Mr. John Boddy, City Forester of Cleveland, 

 the Standard Oil Company has put on the market 

 a special asphalt solvent, under the name " Varno- 

 lene." It costs about eighteen cents a gallon at 

 Cleveland. 



It is not easy to give definite directions as to 

 the proportions to be used of solvent to asphalt. 

 That depends on the melting point of the asphalt, 

 the nature of the solvent, and the season. It is 

 always wise to mix up small trial batches and let 

 them cool to air temperature, in order to deter- 

 mine the proportion which is right for the existing 

 conditions. The mixture as applied should be 

 rather like a soft jelly than a paint, being just as 

 heavy as it can be brushed on. If " Varnolene " 

 is used the right amount of oil for each pound of 

 asphalt will usually fall between a pint and a pint 

 and a half. 



Effective as a thorough coat of asphalt paint 

 is, cases frequently arise which call for something 

 even more strong and enduring. The wound 

 may be a very large one, for instance, and difficult 

 of access, so that little dependence can be put upon 

 future renewals of the dressing. If it is an old 

 wound there are probably borers beneath the sur- 

 face which may be able to break through even a 



