| 16th. The Wind S. blowing fresh accompanyed with frequent showers of driveing rain long before day till 9 in the morning, the rest of the day was dark, moist, moaky weather. A Receipt to cure Green Wounds. As it frequently happens that in Rustic or Mechanic Employments hurts are received in places where the help of Surgery is not easily to be had, or by persons who cannot readily procure it; I hope it will not be thought improper to insert in your Magazine a short Extract of Mr. Sharp's Introduction to his Treatise on Operations, by which many who would otherwise be without help, or in danger of improper treatment, may, upon Sudden accidents re– lieve others, or preserve themselves. The Natural state of a wound made by a sharp instrument in a healthfull body, isthis; Upon the division of the Vessels, the blood runs freely till it is stopped, or stops of itself; then for 24 hours the discharge from the wound is thin and watery, then for 2 or 3 days more thick and stinking, afterwards still thicker, but with less smell. then the flesh begins to grow up from the bottom of the wound, sometimes with proud flesh, which though it needs not to be wholly destroyed, must be kept low on the edges, that it may not hinder the skin from growing over the wound, which it will quickly do. if onely the flesh is injured. To promote all these intentions, no application is more proper that dry Lint, which as a Styptic, laid on at first, will staunch the blood, afterwards by absorbing the thin matter it promotes digestion, when the cure is further advanced compresses the proud flesh; which however, if it rises too strongly should be touched sometimes on the edges with a Vitriol stone. The first dressing laid on a bleeding wound should not be changed in less than 3 days, And then onely so much taken off as comes away without pain; when the matter grows thick it may be dressed daily, till it is well: always laying over the lint a Pledget of tow, with some soft ointment, & keeping the part in that position which brings the edges of the wound nearest together, to which likewise the Bandage, which must however be too strait, must be made to contribute . |
