MEDICAL HINTS FOR COUNTRY SETTLERS. BY T. E. RAWSON, ESQ, M.D.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 65, 28 September 1872, Page 3

MEDICAL HINTS FOR COUNTRY SETTLERS. BY T. E. RAWSON, ESQ, M.D.

ACC.TDF NTS

In ordinary cuts with a knife or other sharp instrument, wipe, the surrounding parts with a wet rag, and then wrap the wound up in the blood, first bringing (lie edges as near together as possible. A bandage, put light!v on, may bo necessary to keep the cut edges together. In two or three days the wound will have uniled. In ancient times the surgeons were wise in their generation. They bound un a sword-wound in 't;i blood, and thru, knowing how officiously eager people am to he meddling, used to set. the patie-.it or hi< friends to anoint an I bandage the weapon, by whidi i.he wound was made, every day for a week. By that time the wound was generally healed. I used to wonder how they got hold of their enemy's sword to plaster it. It must have been something like putting salt on a bird's tail to catch it. IT the wound bleeds much, and the si ream is dark and eontinrous, the bleeding will generally subside soon on t he application of cold wafer, and then a pad of lint or soft rag, soaked in the blood and applied to the wound with a, bandage over it. The pavt should be kept raised. But if there is a considerable stream of bright, red blood, and it comes out in hrpn, then compress if (irady with the thumb; or, if in a biub, tie a handkerchief tightly round it, with the knot over the bleeding vessel, or with a stick passed through ; and, if necessary, twist it still tighter till (lie surgeon arrives. In cuts on the face, or other exposed parts, the edges of the wound, after being carefully wiped should be brought, close togeiher with strips of stickingplaster, first warmed by the fire or on a tin of hot, Avater, that, there mavbe as little w/r leff as possible. A piece of common sticking-plaster should be kept in every house. In burns and scalds, T have always found that the quickest relief I'rom pain is given bv the application of turpentine in the first instance ; and this is found in most houses. If the skin is not destroyed, it can be pa : nled on frequently with a feather. If the skin is blistered, let t he water out bv puncturing it Avith a needle ; and if the skin is destroyed, soak soft rags in tin pent me and lay them on. Afterwards the turpentine should be mixed with equal parts of sAveet oil, olive oil, or fish oil, gradually reducing the proportion of turpentine, and increasing the oil. If turpentine or oil is not at hand, kerosine may be used, or Avbenten Hour, dusted from a. muslin bag, thickly, on the wound. When the wounds begin to discharge, then apply plasters of soft old rag spread Avit h " yellow basilicon " or " broAvn cerate." " llolloway's Ointment" is a vcy good application for the purpose, owing to the Ton ice turpentine. it contains. Burns are very subject to " proud flesh." Noaa-, " proud flesh " is not such a terrible thing as most people seem to think. It is only too much of a good thing. The ucav flesh groAvs too luxuriant/a, and rises above the surrounding skin, Avliich does not then readily unite over it. It is only "proud flesh" Avhen it rises above the neighbouring skin, and should ;then, as occasion requires, be suppressed by rubbing a small piece of "blue stone" ("blue vitriol") gently over it, so as to restrain it within proper b'mits ; don't, use loaf svgar for the purpose; but keep the "blue stone" out of the children's reach, as it is poisonous, and of an attractive colour. If the burn or scald is of small extent, and conveniently sit uated, a soft bread poult ice is a very good application. The best, Avay to make a poultice is to cut a round off a stale loaf of bread, about one-third of an inch in thickness. Pare off the crust, then lay it on a plate, and just pour as much boiling Avater on it as the bread Avill soak up. Mash it avcll into a smooth, uniform, pulp, and lay it on a rag, and apply it-Avhen about ucav milk warm. If it has to be kept on more than t-Avo or three hours, it should have a little lard, or fresh butter (without salt), mixed up with it, to keep i from getting hard and dry. The object of a poultice is to ke»p the part rearm and moist, and in a soft bed. Except for special purposes. Avium medicated poultices are used, these are the onljl objects of a poultice. and, therefore, it is unnece? ;ary to use the abominations which are so often introduced. No men are less fastidious than medical men. Their education teaches them to consider nothing " common or unclean " Avliich is associated with the relief of suffering humanity. But there is no reason for preferring a cou(j poultice to a clean bread poultice, except that the former is generally better -prepared, softer, and more uniform than the bread poultices that are generally presented to us. Bleeding at the none, whether occurring spontaneously or from a blow, is scarcely ever dangerous in early life. It is sometimes dangerous in old age, and even in middle life. Lay the child on his back, Avith the head slightly raised to prevent the blood going down the throat. Admit cool air, and apply cold Avater freely to the top of the head, forehead and temples, and sponge the nose and cheeks with cold vinegar and water. Apply a cold body suddenly to the back of the shoulders ; a large house-door key for instance ; and raise the arms abovo the head. If you have reason to suppose a child has swallowed poisonous berries, as the tutu, or the laburnum

seeds, give a teaspoonful of the mixture of equal parts of ipecac luuiiui, uud uutinioiiial issued every five minutes, till it vomits freely. (To be continued).