CUTS, WOUNDS, AND SORES 201 



and the keyhole and cracks are stopped with paper or cotton. 

 A pint of formaldehyde is mixed with six to eight ounces of 

 potassium permanganate in a large bowl which is placed in a 

 large metal pan. This is set in the middle of the room and the 

 room kept closed for three or four hours. At the end of that 

 time all bacteria are dead, and the room and its contents are 

 absolutely safe. 



Cuts, wounds, and sores. A prick from a pin, a jag from a 

 rusty nail, a cut from a knife, or a tear from a splinter often 

 causes a painful sore, and sometimes even causes death from 

 blood poisoning and lockjaw. This is because germs from the 

 pin, nail, knife, or splinter remain in the opening and breed 

 there. The bacteria which cause boils, erysipelas, blood poi- 

 soning, inflammation, and lockjaw are on everything, and the 

 only way we can be sure to escape trouble from cuts and other 

 wounds is to kill all bacteria promptly, and to protect the 

 wound against the entrance of new bacteria. The bacteria 

 from the instrument which causes the trouble, whether it be 

 bullet, stone, or knife can be killed by bathing the opening with 

 weak carbolic acid, turpentine, hydrogen peroxide, or other dis- 

 infectants. If the wound is a small cut or sore, a little car- 

 bolated vaseline rubbed over it will often kill the germs, and 

 the wound can be protected against new bacteria by a soft clean 

 cloth. A wound properly dressed, that is, thoroughly disin- 

 fected and carefully bound, does not fester and cause prolonged 

 pain. A wound carelessly dressed causes prolonged severe pain 

 and may lead to erysipelas, boils, blood poisoning, or even to 

 death by lockjaw. If a cut or wound is small and bleeds freely, 

 the flowing blood washes away most of the germs, and the 

 white blood cells kill the few that remain. But it is better 

 not to depend upon the blood and its corpuscles, because if 

 the dangerous germs get a start, pus and inflammation set in, 

 and the wound must be lanced, opened, and then thoroughly 



