Health Notes

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 7 (Supplement)

Health Notes

"Have You Been Fighting?"

Dealing With A Black Eye WHY is it that a black eye is always such a source of joking among one's friends? Because it is no joke to the possessor. A black eye is a bruise and its character depends upon its situation. A bruise is due to a rupture, bv a blow, of the small vessels beneatn the site of the blow. . . ' The tissues of tho eyelids and check are very soft and tender, and they overlie a ridge of hard bone, the edge of the socket which holds the eyeball. The skin and soft tissues of this part are nchly supplied with blood vessels. Thus, all the conditions are favourable for trouble. „ , . A As the eyeball is well protected by this socket, a blow from a fairly large object, such as a fist, does little damage to tho eye itself, but the outer part °f the lids and surrounding skin are violently jammed against tho edge or the socket, and so bruising occurs, DCcause hero there is only a very thin sheet of muscle between tho skin and the bone, whereas in other pnrts or t le body thore is a cushion of fat between the skin and bones. Also the skin 01, the lids is very thin, loose and de icato, and so tho blood can readily collect behind it, and also it can just as readily show through it. A Cold Wet Pad _ . Usually associi ited with a black eye is a bloodshot condition of the eyeball itself. This is due to tho fact that the back of the lids and the front of the opaque part of the eyeball is lined with a thin, lining membrane, known the conjunctiva. This membrane, although tightly attached to the I 1 " on ly loosely attached to the eyebal _, . ?na so blood easily collects beneath it * n the latter situation, the eye becomes " bloodshot." . .. ,?,he length of time the discoloration J"! last depends on the amount ot s'°od that hus escaped from the dam aged vessel. Usually, it requires

from one to two tfeeks for absorption to take place. The black and blue stain may continue for as long as a month, or even longer. This time of discoloration can bo reduced by suitable and early treatment. The best early treatment is a cold wet pad, bound firmly over the eyesocket and frequently renewed as it becomes warm. This has the effect of closing the ruptured vessels and limiting the amount of blood effused._ lhe timehonoured troatment of a ' piece of raw beef," owes its virtue to the fact ot being cold and moist, and to that fact only. A moist application keeps cold longer thaii a dry one. Removing the Bruise After about eight or ten hours—not earlier—hot bathing of the part is desirable. When all danger of further bleeding has passed, massage is helpful. It is obvious that this should not bo applied at once, as it would only break the clot and so bring on further bleeding. But, after a day or so, it may be begun, as this procedure helps to stimulate tho adjacent vessels to carry away the blood clot. There is no more rapid method of removing a bruise. Actually to do the massage, it is best to apply a little cold cream or cocoa butter to the part and then gently massage it. i-i'or aesthetic reasons, or to spare yourself ridicule, it is quite a good idea to paint it out. A stick of paste paint, such as is used by actors, may be employed to smear tho surface and hide the discoloration. It is unwise to cut the skin to remove the blood clot, or even to apnly a leech, because if tho surface is broken in this way it may become iniccted and cause a lot of trouble. Sometimes it may be necessary for a doctor to do such treatment, but then it would onlv.be done under aseptic conditions. Very often a black eye follows a fracture of tho skull, but only appears after a day or two. In this case, the blood comes from vessels deeply situated at the base of the skull. It slowly seeps forward into the eyo socket, finally appearing under the eyelids.