Enquire Within Upon Everything Part 116

1315. Mother Eve's Pudding.

If you want a good pudding, to teach you I'm willing: Take two pennyworth of eggs, when twelve for a shilling; And of the same fruit that Eve had once chosen, Well pared and well chopped, at least half a dozen; Six ounces of bread (let your maid eat the crust), The crumbs must be grated as small as the dust; Six ounces of currants from the stones you must sort, Lest they break out your teeth, and spoil all your sport; Six ounces of sugar won't make it too sweet; Some salt and some nutmeg will make it complete; Three hours let it boil, without hurry or flutter, And then serve it up, without sugar or b.u.t.ter.

1316. Accidents.

_Always send for a surgeon immediately an accident occurs, but treat as directed until he arrives_.

[AN EVIL CONSCIENCE IS THE GREATEST PLAGUE.]

1317. In both Scalds and Burns.

In both scalds and burns, the following facts cannot be too firmly impressed on the mind of the reader, that in either of these accidents the _first, best_, and _often the only remedies required_, are sheets of wadding, fine wool, or carded cotton, and in default of these, violet powder, flour, magnesia, or chalk. The object for which these several articles are employed is the same in each instance; namely, to exclude the air from the injured part; for if the air can be effectually shut out from the raw surface, and care is taken not to expose the tender part till the new cuticle is formed, the cure may be safely left to nature.

The moment a person is called to a case of scald or burn, he should cover the part with a sheet, or a portion of a sheet, of wadding, taking care not to break any blister that may have formed, or stay to remove any burnt clothes that may adhere to the surface, but as quickly as possible envelope every part of the injury from all access of the air, laying one or two more pieces of wadding on the first, so as effectually to guard the burn or scald from the irritation of the atmosphere; and if the article used is wool or cotton, the same precaution, of adding more material where the surface is thinly covered, must be adopted; a light bandage finally securing all in their places.

Any of the popular remedies recommended below may be employed when neither wool, cotton, nor wadding are to be procured, it being always remembered that that article which will best exclude the air from a burn or scald is the best, quickest, and least painful mode of treatment. And in this respect nothing has surpa.s.sed cotton loose or attached to paper as in wadding.

1318. If the Skin is much Injured.

If the skin is much injured in burns, spread some linen pretty thickly with chalk ointment, and lay over the part, and give the patient some brandy and water if much exhausted; then send for a medical man. If not much injured, and very painful, use the same ointment, or apply carded cotton dipped in lime water and linseed oil. If you please, you may lay cloths dipped in ether over the parts, or cold lotions. Treat scalds in the same manner, or cover with sc.r.a.ped raw potato; but the chalk ointment is the best. In the absence of all these, cover the injured part with treacle, and dust over it plenty of flour.

1319. Body in Flames.

Lay the person down on the floor of the room, and throw the tablecloth, rug, or other large cloth over him, and roll him on the floor.

1320. Dirt in the Eye.

Place your forefinger upon the cheek-bone, having the patient before you; then slightly bend the finger, this will draw down the lower lid of the eye, and you will probably be able to remove the dirt; but if this will not enable you to get at it, repeat this operation while you have a netting-needle or bodkin placed over the eyelid; this will turn it inside out, and enable you to remove the sand, or eyelash, &c., with the corner of a fine silk handkerchief. As soon as the substance is removed, bathe the eye with cold water, and exclude the light for a day. If the inflammation is severe, let the patient take a purgative, and use a refrigerant lotion.

1321. Lime in the Eye.

Syringe it well with warm vinegar and water in the proportion of one ounce of vinegar to eight ounces of water; take a purgative, and exclude light.

1322. Iron or Steel Spiculae in the Eye.

These occur while turning iron or steel in a lathe, and are best remedied by doubling back the upper or lower eyelid, according to the situation of the substance, and with the flat edge of a silver probe, taking up the metallic particle, using a lotion made by dissolving six grains of sugar of lead, and the same of white vitriol, in six ounces of water, and bathing the eye three times a day till the inflammation subsides. Another plan is--Drop a solution of sulphate of copper (from one to three grains of the salt to one ounce of water) into the eye, or keep the eye open in a winegla.s.sful of the solution. Take a purgative, bathe with cold lotion, and exclude light to keep down inflammation.

[SLEEP FALLS SWEETLY UPON THE VIRTUOUS.]

1323. Dislocated Thumb.

This is frequently produced by a fall. Make a clove hitch, by pa.s.sing two loops of cord over the thumb, placing a piece of rag under the cord to prevent it cutting the thumb; then pull in the same line as the thumb. Afterwards apply a cold lotion.

1324. Cuts and Wounds.

Clean cut wounds, whether deep or superficial, and likely to heal by the first intention, should never be washed or cleaned, but at once evenly and smoothly closed by bringing both edges close together, and securing them in that position by adhesive plaster. Cut thin strips of sticking-plaster, and bring the parts together; or if large and deep, cut two broad pieces, so as to look like the teeth of a comb, and place one on each side of the wound, which must be cleaned previously.

These pieces must be arranged so that they shall interlace one another; then, by laying hold of the pieces on the right side with one hand, and those on the other side with the other hand, and pulling them from one another, the edges of the wound are brought together without any difficulty.

1325. Ordinary Cuts.

Ordinary cuts are dressed by thin strips, applied by pressing down the plaster on one side of the wound, and keeping it there and pulling in the opposite direction; then suddenly depressing the hand when the edges of the wound are brought together.

1326. Contusions.

Contusions are best healed by laying a piece of folded lint, well wetted with the extract of lead, on the part, and, if there is much pain, placing a hot bran poultice over the dressing, repeating both, if necessary, every two hours. When the injuries are very severe, lay a cloth over the part, and suspend a basin over it filled with cold lotion. Put a piece of cotton into the basin, so that it shall allow the lotion to drop on the cloth, and thus keep it always wet.

1327. Haemorrhage.

Haemorrhage, when caused by an artery being divided or torn, may be known by the blood issuing out of the wound in leaps or jerks, and being of a bright scarlet colour. If a vein is injured, the blood is darker and flows continuously. To arrest the latter, apply pressure by means of a compress and bandage. To arrest arterial bleeding, get a piece of wood (part of a mop handle will do), and tie a piece of tape to one end of it; then tie a piece of tape loosely over the arm, and pa.s.s the other end of the wood under it; twist the stick round and round until the tape compresses the arm sufficiently to arrest the bleeding, and then confine the other end by tying the string round the arm. A compress made by enfolding a penny piece in several folds of lint or linen, should, however, be first placed under the tape and over the artery.

If the bleeding is very obstinate, and it occurs in the _arm_, place a cork underneath the string, on the inside of the fleshy part, where the artery may be felt beating by any one; if in the _leg_, place a cork in the direction of a line drawn from the inner part of the knee towards the outer part of the groin. It is an excellent thing to accustom yourself to find out the position of these arteries, or, indeed, any that are superficial, and to explain to every person in your house where they are, and how to stop bleeding.

If a stick cannot be got, take a handkerchief, make a cord bandage of it, and tie a knot in the middle; the knot acts as a compress, and should be placed over the artery, while the two ends are to be tied around the thumb. Observe _always to place the ligature between the wound and the heart_. Putting your finger into a bleeding wound, and making pressure until a surgeon arrives, will generally stop violent bleeding.

1328. Bleeding from the Nose.

Bleeding from the nose, from whatever cause, may generally be stopped by putting a plug of lint into the nostrils, if this does not do, apply a cold lotion to the forehead; raise the head, and place over it both arms, so that it will rest on the hands; dip the lint plug, _slightly moistened_, into some powdered gum arabic, and plug the nostrils again; or dip the plug into equal parts of powdered gum arabic and alum, and plug the nose. Or the plug may be dipped in Friar's balsam, or tincture of kino. Heat should be applied to the feet; and, in obstinate cases, the sudden shock of a cold key, or cold water poured down the spine, will often instantly stop the bleeding.

If the bowels are confined, take a purgative.

[MORNING IS WELCOME TO THE INDUSTRIOUS.]

1329. Violent Shocks.

Violent shocks will sometimes stun a person, and he will remain unconscious. Untie strings, collars, &c.; loosen anything that is tight, and interferes with the breathing; raise the head; see if there is bleeding from any part; apply smelling-salts to the nose, and hot bottles to the feet.

1330. Concussion.

In concussion, the surface of the body is cold and pale, and the pulse weak and small, the breathing slow and _gentle_, and the pupil of the eye generally contracted or small. You can get an answer by speaking loud, so as to arouse the patient. Give a little brandy and water, keep the place quiet, apply warmth, and do not raise the head too high. If you tickle the feet, the patient feels it.