Part 25 (1/2)

2d. When the blood is made impure by inhaling vitiated air, the action of the heart and arteries is diminished, which produces an effect similar to that which takes place when blood is drawn from a vein.

378. _Hemorrhage from divided arteries should be immediately arrested._ When large blood-vessels are wounded or cut, the flow of blood must be immediately stopped, or the person soon faints, and the heart ceases its action. If it is a large artery that is wounded, the blood will be thrown out in jets, or jerks, every time the pulse beats. The flow of blood can be stopped until a surgeon arrives, either by compressing the vessel between the wound and the heart, or by compressing the end of the divided artery in the wound.

376. State some of the effects that the mind has on circulation. 377.

What effect have the quant.i.ty and quality of blood upon the circulatory organs? Give ill.u.s.tration 1st. Ill.u.s.tration 2d. 378. What is necessary when large blood-vessels are wounded or cut?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 76. The track of the large artery of the arm. 1, The collar-bone. 9, The axillary artery. 10, The brachial artery.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 77. B, The manner of compressing the artery near the collar-bone. A, The manner of compressing the large artery of the arm, with the fingers. C, The manner of compressing the divided extremity of an artery in the wound, with a finger.]

379. After making compression with the fingers, as described and ill.u.s.trated, take a piece of cloth or handkerchief, twist it cornerwise, and tie a hard knot midway between the two ends. This knot should be placed over the artery, between the wound and the heart, and the ends carried around the limb and loosely tied. A stick, five or six inches long, should be placed under the handkerchief, which should be twisted until the knot has made sufficient compression on the artery to allow the removal of the fingers without a return of bleeding. Continue the compression until a surgeon can be called.

What is shown by fig. 76? By fig. 77? 379. What is to be done after compressing the wound, as before described?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 78. A, B, The track of the large artery of the arm.

The figure exhibits the method of applying the knotted handkerchief to make compression on this artery.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 79. A, C, The track of the large artery of the thigh.

B, The method of applying the knotted handkerchief to compress this artery. In practice, the twisting stick B should be placed opposite the knot over the artery A, C.]

380. When an artery of the arm is cut, elevating the wounded limb above the head will tend to arrest the flow of blood. In a wound of a lower limb, raise the foot, so that it shall be higher than the hip, until the bleeding ceases.

_Ill.u.s.tration._ On one occasion, the distinguished Dr. Nathan Smith was called to a person who had divided one of the large arteries below the knee. After trying in vain to find the bleeding vessel, so as to secure it, he caused the foot to be elevated higher than the hip. At the first instant the blood was forced from the wound about twelve inches; in a minute, it was diminished to three or four; and, in a short time, the bleeding ceased. This Dr. S. called his ”_great_”

operation; and it was truly great in _simplicity_ and _science_.

What is shown by fig. 78 and 79? 380. What suggestion relative to the position of a limb when bleeding? Relate a simple operation by Dr.

Nathan Smith.

381. The practical utility of every person knowing the proper means of arresting hemorrhage from severed arteries, is ill.u.s.trated by the following incidents. In 1848, in the town of N., Ma.s.s., a mechanic divided the femoral artery; although several adult persons were present, he died in a few minutes from loss of blood, because those persons were ignorant of the method of compressing severed arteries until a surgeon could be obtained.

382. In 1846, a similar accident occurred in the suburbs of Philadelphia. While the blood was flowing copiously, a lad, who had received instruction on the treatment of such accidents at the Philadelphia High School, rushed through the crowd that surrounded the apparently dying man, placed his finger upon the divided vessel, and continued the compression until the bleeding artery was secured by a surgeon.

383. In ”flesh wounds,” when no large blood-vessel is divided, wash the part with cold water, and, when bleeding has ceased, draw the incision together, and retain it with narrow strips of adhesive plaster. These should be put on smoothly, and a sufficient number applied to cover the wound. In most instances of domestic practice, the strips of adhesive plaster are too wide. They should not exceed in width one fourth of an inch. Then apply a loose bandage, and avoid all ”healing salves,” ointments, and washes. In removing the dressing from a wound, both ends of the strips of plaster should be raised and drawn toward the incision. The liability of the wound re-opening is thus diminished.