182 
SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 
tion. Otherwise just put on a sterile dressing and band- 
age. In reality washing wounds only satisfies the aes- 
thetic sense of the operator without real benefit to the 
patient in many cases. If a wound has to be cleansed 
before the doctor comes use boiled water; if this cannot 
be had at once, use water and alcohol half and half. 
1. Always wash your hands thoroughly with water, 
soap and a nail brush, unless there is necessity for 
immediate help to stop bleeding which admits of no 
time to clean one’s hands. Be sure your nails are 
clean. 
2. Try not to touch the wound with your hands un- 
less it is absolutely necessary. 
3. Many wounds do not have to be washed, but 
dressing may be applied directly. 
4. Apply sterile cloth for dressing, having cleansed 
the wound as best you can, or all that is necessary. 
This may be gotten at a drug store in a sterile pack- 
age ready for use immediately, and is very satisfac- 
tory. If, however, these cannot be had, remember any 
cloth like a folded handkerchief that has been recently 
washed and ironed is practically sterile, especially if 
you unfold it carefully and apply the inside which you 
have not touched, to the wound. Bind the dressing on 
with a bandage to keep in place util the doctor arrives. 
fb) Serious Bleeding: 
It is important that you should learn what is serious 
bleeding and this will often help you to be cool under 
trying circumstances. 
As you learned in your work in minor emergencies, 
the bleeding from the small veins and capillaries is not 
usually sufficient to be dangerous, and the pressure of 
the dressing when put on and bandaged in a place will 
soon stop it. It may sometimes be necessary to put 
more dressing outside of that already on (called re-in- 
