Chapter 60
Section 60 of A Thousand Things Worth Knowing. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by phone.
A Thousand Things Worth Knowing by Nathaniel C. Fowler Jr. Accidents Convey the sufferer to a place of safety and give him plenty of air. If a shock follows, follow instructions given for shock. Do not touch the wound with the bare hand.
Wear absolutely clean gloves or wrap the fingers in clean cloth or gauze. Do not attempt to cleanse the wound. Summon a surgeon immediately. Apparent death. Never assume that a person is dead because he appears to be.
Summon a physician. A fairly good test of death is to hold the hand of the person apparently dead before a candle or other light, with the fingers stretched out, each touching the other. Gaze intently between the fingers, and if the person is alive, a red or pink colour will undoubtedly be seen where the fingers touch each other.
Another method is to take a cold piece of polished steel, like a razor blade or table knife, and hold before the mouth or nose of the person apparently dead. If moisture does not gather on it, it may be safe to assume that breathing has stopped, but these tests are not infallible. Bandaging.
There are two kinds of bandages. The roller bandage or the triangular or hand-conceived bandage. They may be purchased at any drugstore or be made on the spot in an emergency. The purchased bandages are made of gauze or muslin, crinoline, elastic webbing, rubber or other material. The roller bandages are absorbent and are very thin and pliable.
They should be placed next to the wound and hold the fluids. Muslin bandages are stronger than those made of gauze and should be used for pressure and outside bandages. Bandages should be kept in a perfectly clean place and always covered, either by being enclosed in a box or wrapped in paper. If an improvised bandage is used, care should be taken to use a clean cloth.
The triangular bandage is made by cutting a piece of cloth about 36 inches square into two pieces diagonally. It can be purchased at a drugstore or any clean cloth can be used if it is of firm texture. Baths. Cold baths may be taken to reduce fever and instant stroke or other cases when the temperature is high. It is well to have the temperature in the bath at 70 or 80 degrees Fahrenheit and to reduce the water until it reaches 60 or 65.
Teppid baths have a temperature of 80 or 90 degrees and warm baths are of a temperature from 90 degrees to a little less than 100 degrees. Hot baths may be used in case of shock, apparent drowning, depression and similar troubles. The temperature of the water should vary from 98 degrees to 110 degrees. When the patient leaves the bath, he should be dried quickly and put to bed. Hot baths may produce fainting and should be taken in the presence of an attendant.
Do not guess at the temperature of the water, use a thermometer. Thank you for watching.
