MEDICAL HINTS. 
245 
well and pass a piece of thin wire through it to keep it open. Tho 
needles are sent out with wire in them to keep the fine channel open; 
of course the wire must be removed before the needle is put on to the 
syringe. 
As strong solutions of permanganate of potash attack the plunger of 
the piston, when this drug has been injected, the syringe should be well 
washed with water directly after its use. 
Hypodermic tabloids .— Solutions for injection are best made from 
tabloids which are specially prepared for the purpose and which are 
called “ hypoderms.” A hypoderm should be dissolved in about ten 
drops of hot water, but as each contains a definite amount of the drug, 
it does not matter in exactly how much water the dose is dissolved. In 
injecting certain preparations of quinine, which are not easily soluble, 
so much water may be required that two or three separate injections are 
necessary; there is no objection to this, the important thing is to have 
the quinine really dissolved. 
Usually only medical men should administer hypodermic injections. 
I advise others, if they do so, only to inject half or a third of the amount 
of the fluid in which a hypoderm has been dissolved. As a rule, it is 
not necessary to give a hypodermic injection, for the hypoderm will be 
absorbed, and act almost as quickly if placed under the tongue. 
The traveller may be called upon to use one of the following hypo¬ 
dermic injections:—■ 
Permanganate of potassium. See Snake-bite, p. 212. 
Quinine. See Malaria, p. 180, and Quinine, p. 240. 
Morphia. An injection of a quarter of a grain of morphia may be 
necessary when there is much pain. The soothing action of opium and 
clilorodyne is due to this substance. 
Strychnine. See Snake-bite, p. 213. 
Baths , etc . 
Cool Bath .—Lift the patient gently into a long bath containing water 
at about 90° F., add water as cold as can be obtained, keep the water 
circulating and running out; one boy must pour water on to the head all 
the time. 
If a long bath is not at hand, put a blanket over a waterproof sheet, 
