Mother's Remedies Part 85

DISLOCATION OF THE JAW.--It is not possible to close the mouth. The chin is too far forward. The jaw may turn toward the other side in one-sided dislocation.

[380 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Treatment.--Hold something hard between the teeth in front so that when the jaw snaps in place your thumbs will not be bitten. A piece of wood as thick as your fingers will do. Stand in front of the patient, who should be sitting in a high chair. Put your thumbs in the mouth upon the lower jaw two-thirds of the length backwards, and your forefingers directly underneath the jaw; with the thumbs press down and with the fingers pull forward.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Oblique Bandage of Jaw.

Medicated Cotton can readily be applied with this style of Bandage.

Bandaging and Photograph by DR. W. E. ZIEGENFUSS, of Detroit.

Done expressly for this book.]

Sometimes it is necessary to hold the jaw in place for some days. For that purpose the bandage for a broken jaw can be used.

SHOULDER JOINT DISLOCATION.--There is a depression of the skin over the cavity. The shoulder is flattened. The bone of the arm points to where the head of the bone is.

Treatment.--Carry the elbow to the side with the forearm at right angles to the arm: turn the arm around until the forearm points away from the body. Then carry the arm up from the body until it is level with the shoulder. In this position gradually rotate the arm again and then bring the arm to the side, with the forearm across the chest, hand pointing to the other shoulder when it should be bandaged by pieces of bandages three inches wide pa.s.sing around the arm, elbow and body. A pad should be placed under the hand to keep it from making the flesh sore.

FINGER OR THUMB DISLOCATION.--If the joint is dislocated forward pull the front part forward and backward. If it is dislocated backwards, pull the front part of the finger forward and upward. If reduced immediately this needs no bandaging.

FRACTURES.--They are simply broken bones or cartilage, usually applied popularly to a broken bone.

Varieties.--Simple fracture means a break of the bone only.

Compound fracture is where the broken bone sticks out through the skin.

ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 381

Comminuted is where the bone is broken into small parts.

Impacted is where one part of the broken bone is driven into the other part.

Green stick break. This is not really a break, but only a bending of the bone, seen mostly in children.

Bandages for fractures can be made of muslin. They should be six to eight to twelve yards long for large bones.

Width. For a finger one inch.

For arm or head two and one-half inches.

For the leg three to four inches.

For the body six to eight inches.

An old sheet can be used and the ends of the strips sewed together and then wrapped tight in a roll, with the ravelings from the sides removed.

The bandage should be started from the end of the limb, wrapped towards the body. They should not be wrapped so tightly as to shut off circulation,

Padding.--This should be of cotton. In case of necessity, handkerchiefs, towels, pieces of muslin, cloths; hay or gra.s.s can be used temporarily.

Splints.--In emergencies splints can be made from shingles, pasteboards or even bark.

How to Take Hold of a Broken Leg or Arm.--Never take hold of it from above, but slip the hands underneath, and then take a firm but gentle hold at two points a short distance from the break on each side, and all the while making slight extension with the hand on the end part (distal part) so as to keep the ends from rubbing together, and lift with both hands at the same time slowly and evenly until the limb is in the required position. Then apply the emergency treatment. This is to help keep the broken parts in place until proper care can be given, or to a.s.sist in safely and comfortably moving the patient to the place desired. Support the broken limb with something smooth and stiff, such as a thin narrow shingle, three inches wide perhaps, or thin board, stout pasteboard, or the bark of trees, and padded with something soft, such as cotton, wool, hay, straw, leaves, which can be held by bandages of required width, or handkerchiefs folded in triangular shape, or by strips of linen, muslin, ribbon or anything with which the splint can be temporarily held fast.

For the Forearm.--Two padded splints three to four inches wide and long enough to take in the hand also should be applied, one to the thumb, and the other to the back of the forearm, slight extension being made by pulling on the patient's hand. This pulls the broken end in place. Tie on the splints over the hand, wrist and just below the elbow. Two or three wraps of adhesive plaster or five or six wraps of a bandage or handkerchief or towel folded and pinned will temporarily hold the limb in place. Put on a sling reaching from the finger tips to beyond the elbow.

[382 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

For the Arm.--Put on two padded splints from the shoulder to the elbow, one in front and the one behind, and bind on at the bottom and top. Then place the forearm on the chest pointing to the well or sound shoulder and bind the arm with bandages or a long towel to the body.

For a Broken Leg.--Pull on the foot gently to make slight extension, and lift the leg on a pillow or some sort of pad, and tie this firmly about the leg; or broad strips of wood may be padded and placed on either side of the broken leg and securely tied.

For a Broken Thigh, Upper Leg.--The splint should extend from under the arm to the ankle, padded and bound to the body and to the leg by means of long towels or pieces of sheeting applied six inches apart. If the patient is in a wagon and no splint can be had, bags of dirt or sand applied around the thigh will hold some. But there is always something at hand to use as a splint and to bind the splint to the leg.

For a Broken Collar Bone.--Place the patient on his back if he is to be moved and put a firm pad in the arm pit and bind the arm to the side with the forearm across the chest; or if you have a roll of adhesive plaster two or three inches wide, after putting a pad in the arm pit (sometimes this is not necessary) put the adhesive strip around the arm midway to the shoulder. The arm should be lifted up and a little back. Run the strip of adhesive plaster around the body and fasten to the first part. Then put another strip fast to the band around the arm and run this down around the bent elbow and over the forearm placed on the chest, the fingers pointing to the sound shoulder. This strip can pa.s.s over the sound collar bone and fasten to the strip about the body. If it is put on properly, the injured part will feel comfortable.

Broken Ribs.--Put on a towel, about eight to twelve inches wide. This should go around the body and be pinned tightly; or, if you have a roll of adhesive plaster, two and one-half to three inches wide, use this. Start at the backbone, at the lowest point necessary, about two ribs below the broken one, and carry it straight across the chest to the breast bone; put on about eight of such strips, lapping each about one-half inch. Fasten the ends with a strip running up and down one-half on the flesh and the other half on the strip. This is to keep the strips from slipping any. The arms should be held up while the strips are being applied.

A Broken Jaw.--Take a strong piece of muslin, long enough to reach around the neck and eight inches longer. Split this through the center to within about seven inches of the center of the band. Put this unsplit part above, over and under the chin. Tie the upper tails around the neck and run the under tail pieces up in front of the ear to the crown of the head. Tie each end on the back part of the head to the pieces left over after tying back of the neck.

[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 383]

Broken Nose.--Put the parts in place by pressure and moulding. It is easily done. Do not hurry. Put a strip of adhesive plaster across the bridge of the nose over the break reaching to the cheek.

If the injury causes bleeding, the wound should be washed with clean linen and boiled water and covered with clean linen. To wash the wound, one teaspoonful of salt to one pint of boiled water. Salt is usually at hand.

If an artery is cut, this bleeding must be stopped. The blood spurts out.

Press your hands hard on the back of the thigh towards the body of the wound. Another should tie some cloth around the thigh above the wound tightly. It can be made tighter by putting a stick under the band and twisting it around as much as possible. Raise the leg high up and put the head low. If the cut is below the knee or on the foot, bend the leg back.

First put a pad or your fist in under the knee joint and bend leg over the pad or your fist. Sometimes the spurting artery can be caught or pressed upon with your finger. If the arm is injured, bandage as for the thigh. If the forearm, the same as for the leg.

If a finger is cut clean off, pick the piece up and wash it and the stump clean and then place the cut off part against the stump and tie on, or stick on with adhesive plaster. It sometimes grows fast.

SPRAINS.--Sprains or wrenches of the joints are caused by a twist or a blow. The injury consists in the tear or rupture of a number of the fibres of the ligaments.

Symptoms.--Severe pain, the joint is practically useless for a time; swelling, heat and later the joint discolored from effusion of the blood into the tissues.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES.--1. Sprains, Ointment for.--"The bark of bittersweet with chamomile and wormwood simmered in fresh lard make an excellent ointment for sprains and swellings."

2. Sprains, Vinegar and Bran Poultice for.--"Make a poultice with vinegar and bran only, or with the addition of oatmeal, or bread crumbs. As the poultice becomes dry it should be moistened with vinegar."

3. Sprains, Turpentine Most Common Remedy for.--"Rub the injured part with turpentine and keep warm and you will find this remedy to be one of the best to keep proud flesh out that has ever been used. I always have turpentine in my home and find that I have to use it often, and it always does as I said above, if once used you will never be without it."

4. Sprains, Quick Relief for.--"Bathe the parts with hot water as hot as one can bear it and relief comes at once." This is an old tried remedy, but if hot water does not give relief use cold water.

5. Sprains, Relieves Pain of.--"Put warm woolen cloth over sprain, drip hot water as hot as can be borne on cloth for half hour. Bathe with spirits of camphor."

[384 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]