XXVII.
ACCIDENTS AND ANTIDOTES.
CHILDREN should be taught the following modes of saving life, health
and limbs in cases of sudden emergency, before a medical adviser can be
summoned.
In case of a common cut, bind the lips of the wound together with a
rag, and put on nothing else. If it is large, lay narrow
strips of sticking-plaster obliquely across the wound. In
some cases it is needful to draw a needle and thread through the lips of
the wound, and tie the two sides together.
If an artery be cut, it must be tied as quickly as possible, or the
person will soon bleed to death. The blood from an artery is a brighter
red than that from the veins, and spirts out in jets at each beat of the
heart. Take hold of the end of the artery and tie it or hold it tight
till a surgeon comes. In this case, and in all cases of bad wounds that
bleed much, tie a tight bandage near and above the wound,
inserting a stick into the bandage and twisting as tight as can be
borne, to stop the immediate effusion of blood.
Bathe bad bruises in hot water. Arnica water
hastens a cure, but is injurious and weakening to the parts when used
too long and too freely.
A sprain is relieved from the first pains by hot fomentations, or
the application of very hot bandages, but entire rest is
the chief permanent remedy. The more the limb is used, especially at
first, the longer the time required for the small broken fibres to knit
together. The sprained leg should be kept in a horizontal position.
When a leg is
broken, tie it to the other leg, to keep it still till a surgeon comes.
Tie a broken arm to a piece of thin wood, to keep it
still till set.
In the case of bad burns that take off the skin, creosote
water is the best remedy.
If this is not at hand, wood-soot (not coal) pounded,
sifted, and mixed with lard is nearly as good, as such
soot contains creosote. When a dressing is put on, do not
remove it till a skin is formed under it.
If nothing else is at hand for a bad burn, sprinkle flour
over the place where the skin is off and then let it remain, protected
by a bandage. The chief aim is to keep the part without skin from the
air.
In case of drowning, the aim should be to clear the throat, mouth
and nostrils, and then produce the natural action of the lungs in
breathing as soon as possible, at the same time removing wet clothes and
applying warmth and friction to the skin, especially the hands and feet,
to start the circulation. The best mode of cleansing the throat and
mouth of choking water is to lay the person on the face, and raise the
head a little, clearing the mouth and nostrils with the finger, and then
apply hartshorn or camphor to the nose. This
is safer and surer than a common mode of lifting the body by the feet,
or rolling on a barrel to empty out the water.
To start the action of the lungs, first lay the person on the face
and press the back along the spine to expel all air from the lungs. Then
turn the body nearly, but not quite over on the back, thus opening the
chest so that the air will rush in if the mouth is kept open. Then turn
the body to the face again and expel the air, and then again nearly over
on to the back; and so continue for a long time. Friction, dry and warm
clothing, and warm applications should be used in connection with this
process. This is a much better mode than using bellows, which sometimes
will close the opening to the windpipe. The above is the mode
recommended by Dr. Marshall Hall, and is approved by the best medical
authorities.
Certain articles are often kept in the house for cooking or medical
purposes, and sometimes by mistake are taken in quantities that are
poisonous.
Soda, saleratus, potash, or
any other alkali can be rendered harmless in the stomach by
vinegar, tomato-juice, or any other acid.
If sulphuric or oxalic acid are taken, pounded chalk in
water is the best antidote. If those are not at hand,
strong soapsuds have been found effective. Large quantities
of tepid water should be drank after these antidotes are
taken, so as to produce vomiting.
Lime or
baryta and its compounds demand
a solution of glauber salts or of sulphuric acid.
Iodine or
Iodide of Potassium demands
large draughts of wheat flour or starch in
water, and then vinegar and water.
The stomach should then be emptied by vomiting with as much tepid
water as the stomach can hold.
Prussic acid, a violent
poison, is sometimes taken by children in eating the pits of stone
fruits or bitter almonds which contain it. The antidote is to empty the
stomach by an emetic, and give water of ammonia or
chloric water. Affusions of cold water all over the
body, followed by warm hand friction, is often a remedy alone, but the
above should be added if at command.
Antimony and its compounds
demand drinks of oak bark, or gall nuts, or
very strong green tea.
Arsenic demands oil
or melted fat, with magnesia or lime
water in large quantities, till vomiting occurs.
Corrosive Sublimate, (often
used to kill vermin,) and any other form of mercury, requires milk
or whites of eggs in large quantities. The whites of
twelve eggs in two quarts of water, given in the
largest possible draughts every three minutes till free vomiting occurs,
is a good remedy. Flour and water will answer,
though not so surely as the above. Warm water will help, if
nothing else is in reach.
The same remedy answers when any form of copper, or tin, or zinc
poison is taken, and also for creosote.
Lead and its compounds
require a dilution of Epsom or Glauber salts, or some
strong, acid drink, as lemon or tomatoes.
Nitrate of Silver demands
salt water drank till vomiting occurs.
Phosphorus (sometimes taken
by children from matches) needs magnesia and copious drinks
of gum Arabic, or gum water of any sort.
Alcohol, in dangerous
quantities, demands vomiting with warm water.
When one is violently sick from excessive use of
tobacco, vomiting is a relief,
if it arise spontaneously. After that, or in case it does not occur, the
juice of a lemon and perfect rest, in a horizontal position
on the back, will relieve the nausea and faintness, generally soothing
the foolish and over-wrought patient into a sleep.
Opium demands a quick
emetic. The best is a heaping table-spoonful of powdered mustard,
in a tumblerful of warm water; or powdered alum
in half-ounce doses and strong coffee alternately in
warm water. Give acid drinks after vomiting. If
vomiting is not elicited thus, a stomach pump is demanded. Dash
cold water on the head, apply friction, and use all means to keep
the person awake and in motion.
Strychnia demands also quick
emetics.
The stomach should be emptied always after taking any of these
antidotes, by a warm water emetic.
In case of bleeding at the lungs, or stomach, or throat, give a
tea-spoonful of dry salt, and repeat it often. For bleeding
at the nose, put ice, or pour cold water on
the back of the neck, keeping the head elevated.
If a person be struck with lightning, throw pailfuls of cold
water on the head and body, and apply mustard poultices
on the stomach, with friction of the whole body and inflation of the
lungs, as in the case of drowning.
The
same mode is to be used when persons are stupified by fumes of coal, or
bad air.
In thunderstorms, shut the doors and windows. The safest part of a
room is its centre; and where there is a feather-bed in the apartment,
that will be found the most secure resting-place.
A lightning-rod if it be well pointed, and run deep into the earth,
is a certain protection to a circle around it, whose diameter equals the
height of the rod above the highest chimney. But it protects
no farther than this extent.
In case of fire, wrap about you a blanket, a shawl, a piece of
carpet, or any other woolen cloth, to serve as protection. Never read in
bed, lest you fall asleep, and the bed be set on fire. If your clothes
get on fire, never run, but lie down, and roll about till you can reach
a bed or carpet to wrap yourself in, and thus put out the fire. Keep
young children in woolen dresses, to save them from the risk of fire.
|
