Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/387

353&#93; Wou ever)' four or five hours, and after some days, only once in twenty- four. — He farther states, that such application not only stops the bleed- ing, but also prevents inflammation, swelling, and suppuration, while it checks the growth of fungous flesh. In all open wounds, it is an oh- jedt of the first importance, that the patient, especially during the a6t of dressing them, breathe a pure, salubrious air j for, a foul or contaminated atmosphere, such as that of hospitals, and crowded ha- bitations, always increases the danger j so that small, superficial injuries have, from that source, frequently been attended with fatal effecSts. Tight bandages often occasion a considerable swelling of the adja- cent parts : in such cases, the roller ought to be very gradually remov- ed ; as, otherwise, the tumefadion of the compressed places will sud- denly increase, and sometimes ter- minate in mortification. Hence, Petit recommends the bandage to be renewed every three hours, so that it may each time be less tightly fastened.— In wounds which, from their nature, cannot be speedi- ly healed, the use of Goulard- water, or other preparations of lead, is ex- tremely improper j as they should, from their commencement, be dressed with suppurating remedies. Hence, in all cases of febrile heat, and external inflammation, emol- lient poultices, composed of the crumb of bread boiled in milk, must be instantly applied, and changed several times in the day ; or, as often as they become cold, without disturbing or touching the wounded part with the fingers. In order, if possible, to obviate the symptoms of inflammation, it NO. XV .—Vol-. IV. ■ WOU [353 ■will. In some instanceis, be ad- visable to draw blood from a veia of the arm or foot 3 to resort to op'ening medicines, such as neutral salts, with a few grains of nitre ; to apply similar clysters } and, oa the whole, to observe a cooling re- gimen. Such treatment is parti- cularly necessary, in consequence of stabs or cuts given with sharp- pointed or edged instruments, ai^d in other wounds proceeding to in- terior parts. Hence, Tigsox re- marks, that persons who had been dangerously wounded in lihe chest, in the abdomen, or in the thighs, have completely recovered, by ab- staining from ail animal food, even from broths, salted and pickled provisions of every description j while they subsisted for several weeks exclusively on barley-water, wort, or other mucilaginous vege- table decodions j without using any medicines, or applying ointments. On the other hand, frequent blood- letting, as well as the internal use of balsamic drugs, or what are em- phatically termed vulnerary herbs, generally lend to increase febrile heat, and consequently render the wound more dangerous than if its healing were solely intrusted to the efforts of Nature. In short, ve- nesection will be proper only in those cases which admit of cooling repelleut applications, in the very first stages of external inflamma- tion. But, if the latter become violent, being attended with great tension, irritation, and pain, it wilt be proper to apply either the emol- lient poultice before mentioned, eveiy three hours j or fomentations made of elder and chamomile flow- ers, wormwood, &c. j or, accord- ing to circumstances, a solution of Venice soap in spirit of wine. Thus^, if the inflammation cannot be re- A a solvedj