Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/388

354] WOU solved, and must he suffered to terminate in suppuration, the mc- tl)od hei'f pointed out will be appli- cable ; and, in order to mitigate acute pain, Kikkland recom- mends uarm nil to be applied ; an ancient remedy, the excellence of "which is recorded in the history of the Good Samaritan. Nay, the jnodern Arabs heal their gun-shot ■v'ounds in a similar manner, by pouring into them fresh, wann butter. As soon as suppuration takes place, the symptomatic fever gene- rally subsides; but, if the latter coutinue to exert its influence over the patient, this circumstance may arise from the accumulation of cru- dities in the alimentar}* canal, and which ought, without delay, to be 'removed by cooling laxatives. These will prove no impediment to the suppurative process, but rather tend to promote it, by abating and suppressing the fever. If, never- theless, with the utmost precaution In the cure of wounds, the purulent discharge should take its course towards the interior parts, or enter the circulation of the blood (an event which often suddenly oc- 'curs), tlie inevitable consequence will be a heftic fever. Sir John PuiKGLE therefore observes, that such an alarming effe«ft generally follows the timid use of the knife j that is, when the incisions have cither not been made sufficiently deep, or when they cannot be at- tempted, as is the case in gun-shot "wounds. Foreign bodies, such as iron, lead, splinters of wood, glass, linen, &c. should, if possible, be speedily extraSed frdm wounded parts ; and, in all serious accidents of this na- ture, surgical aid ought to be pro- tared without delay. — Carver ^^ observes, that the sT<in annnalTy dropped by serpents, thongli per- fedly dry, forms an admirable re- medy for drawing thorns, splinters of bones, wood, &c. from the parts thus injured; of which' remedy, howe^'er, we cannot speak from experience. — ^Vhen the wound is not inflamed, such extradtion may be promoted by enlarging its ori- fice with a proper instrument ; af- terwards immersing the limb in tepid water, or repeatedly applying to it a cloth soaked in a simil<tr fluid. But, if any pointed bodies, for instance, pieces of glass, cannot be thus removed, the wounded paft should be exposed to the steam of water, and frequent emollient ca- taplasms be laid over it, with a view to facilitate the eje6Uon of hurtful matters, by means of a speedy suppuration. As soon as the tumor thus treated becomes soft, and presents a yellowish- white spot in its centre, it must be opened ; though such favourable change sometimes requires an at- tentive treatment, for several weeks. Wounds inflifted by blunt in- struments, or by the grazing of a bullet, or by the large and blunt teeth of animals, proAided they be not poisonous, should also be treat- ed in the manner already stated .; though it will, in these cases, be useful to apply a pad of folded linen, moistened with sweet-oil, or with a tepid mixture of vinegar and water ; because such wounds partake of the nature of Indies. With a view to aflfbrd greater secu- rity, the parts thus bitten, may preferably be washed with milk, of with luke-warm vinegar and wa- ter. Lakge, a German surgeon, asserts, that one dram of the pul- verized seed of Water-HEMLocK, taken ever}' morning on a piece of bread