Injuries of nerves and their consequences - Reflex Sympathetic ...

272 INJURIES OF NERVES.
and at last the actual cautery over the nerve trunk, without
altering its size or tenderness. I patiently tried
whether by slow and careful manipulations I could
enable it to bear pressure. After a course of gentle friction,
lasting half an hour, I succeeded in my object, and
three sittings enabled me to rub, and even knead quite
roughly, the diseased part. I then taught the lad's
sister to execute the same manoeuvres, and was pleased
to find that after some thirty sittings he could readily
bear the use of ice, which before he could not endure, and
that the
nerve was plainly less in size and of diminished
density.
This very instructive case has taught me in other instances
to help the progress of the nerve towards health
by like means whenever there are tenderness and sclerotic
conditions. I need not say that some tact is needed
in slowly increasing the force of the friction and the depth
of the pressure employed. Moreover, to be of value
each sitting should last from half an hour to an hour.
Any intelligent attendant can readily be tauglit the art
of methodical rubbing, and for a nurse there is no more
useful attainment.
Caiisalgia or burning pain; waier-dressings. — A vast number
of means were tried to ease or cure causalgia, but the
one essential for comfort was the use of water-dressings,
which were unceasingly renewed, the sufferers carrying
a bottle of water and a sponge and keeping the part
covered. I have never known a man atflicted with
causalgia who did not learn very
soon the use of this
and I never knew one who could be induced to
agent,
exchange it for any other permanent dressing.
Hypodermic injections.— Further relief was given by
hj'podermic injections of morphia, used twice a day and
injected into the tissues of the affected part. I am aware
that this is not in accordance with recent views as to