Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2078

1870 skin carefully down, after which apply the bicarbonate of soda as before, or carron oil (equal parts of olive-oil and lime-water); thymol or carbolic oil (1 part to 100 of olive-oil) answers well. The oil should be applied on clean linen rags or cotton wool, and the dressings should not be made more often than is required by cleanliness. The injured portion should be exposed as little as possible in the changes. In case of clothes catching fire, the patient should be immediately laid down and rolled in a thick coat, rug, blanket, tablecloth, etc., to extinguish the flames.

Bruises.—These are caused by blows, the skin remaining unbroken.

Treatment.—Apply either tincture of arnica, spirit and water, vinegar or sal-ammoniac and water. The following is a useful combination: chloride of ammonium (sal-ammoniac), 1 oz.; rectified spirit, lavender water, or eau-de-Cologne, 2 ozs.; vinegar, 3 ozs.; water to make 16 ozs. in all. Rags dipped in this solution should be laid over the bruise and kept constantly wet. Hot fomentations are frequently more effectual than cold applications in removing the associated discolouration.

Choking.—Treatment.—If the substance causing choking be at the upper part of the throat, thrust the finger and thumb into the mouth, and endeavour to seize it. If this cannot be done, take a penholder, a quill, or piece of whalebone anything, in fact, that will do, and endeavour to push it down the gullet. A smart blow on the back will sometimes dislodge a foreign body from the throat. If the obstruction be only slight, swallowing a small piece of dry bread will often effect the removal. If it seem serious, medical aid should be sought instantly. Children may be held upside down, and smartly slapped on the back.

Concussion of the Brain.—Treatment.—Move the patient as little as possible, and keep him absolutely quiet in a darkened room. He should be placed between hot blankets and hot bottles, or a hot brick wrapped in flannel applied to the feet and body. Alcohol should not be administered unless ordered by the doctor.

Croup.—Treatment.—Take the child out of bed and put it into a bath of 100° F., and keep it there for half an hour; or wrap it in a sheet wrung out of warm water, with dry blankets on top, and keep it in this for 1 hour. Give 1 teaspoonful of ipecacuanha wine every quarter of an hour in tepid water, and give drinks of tepid water between, until vomiting takes place. Keep the atmosphere moist by the steam from a bronchitis or other kettle, which should be kept boiling in the room. Medical aid should be sought at once.

Dislocations.—Treatment.—If medical assistance is at hand do not touch a dislocation; merely support the limb in the position of greatest comfort, until the arrival of the doctor. If skilled assistance cannot be had, get some one to steady the body or the part of the limb nearest the body, and use gentle, steady extension upon that furthest removed until the parts are again in apposition. Then apply cooling lotions (such as Goulard's lotion with a little spirits of wine in it)