66 WOUNDS AND BRUISES. 



For the arrest of bleeding, the application of warm water (120° to 125° F.) 

 or cold water (or ice) is preferable to that of styptics (see above) ; because 

 the use of styptics more or less irritates wounded surfaces to which they are 

 applied. The employment of water in any of the forms just mentioned is 

 free from this objection. It is obvious that irritation interferes with the 

 healing of wounds. 



Presssvre on the seat of injury by means of one or more fingers, or by a 

 hard pad and a properly arranged bandage will generally cause a clot to quickly 

 form in a divided blood-vessel, and will thus stop the bleeding. The far too 

 common practice of trying to arrest haemorrhage in a limb by applying a 

 tight bandage, handkerchief, or other form of tourniquet above the wound is 

 wrong surgery ; because such an appliance would induce more or less intense 

 venous congestion, which, if long continued, might be followed by death of 

 the part (gangrene), and would have little or no effect in producing the desired 

 clot. We should here bear in mind that the walls of the veins are much 

 thinner and weaker than those of the arteries, and are consequently much 

 more sensitive to pressure, which, in the case under consideration, should bs 

 local, not general. The great u-e of a tourniquet is to prevent bleeding 

 during a surgical operation. 



" In wound treatment, pressure is a most powerful and beneficial agency. 

 It favours union by maintaining accurate coaptation, and prevents extrava- 

 sation of blood and its products. When such extravasation has occurred, 

 pressure is the quickest, least painful, and the most successful agency in 

 promoting absorption" [Samjjson Gcnngee). In all cases, pressure should be 

 evenly distributed (as for instance, by means of cotton wadding, page 45), 

 and should in no way interfere with the circulation or drainage of the part. 



