Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

428 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFT\ poultice of the leaves of the common plantainweed is a first-rate application for burns, scalds,bruises, erysipelas, and ivy poisoning. The powderedleaf applied as a paste, or simply the dry leafpowdered, stops bleeding in a short time.Mustard plasters are used as counter-irritants.A strong one is made of equal parts of dry mustardand flour; for gentler effect use less mustard in proportion.Make into a paste with lukewarn, water,and spread between layers of thin cloth. Leave iton 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skin is wellreddened.Heat and Cold.—Direct application of heat isone of the prime resources of first-aid. A canteenwill do instead of a hot-water bag, or a hot stonemay be rolled in blanketing or other thick cloth ; buta better expedient, because it shapes itself to whateverpart it is applied to, is a bag partly filled withhot sand, salt, rice, or the like. The stuff may beheated quickly in a frying-pan. If the patient isunconscious, you must be careful not to burn him.Observe his skin, frequently, and feel the cover ofthe hot article, which should not rise above 115 deg.To produce the most effect, heat should be appliedbetween the thighs, between the arms and the body,and to the soles of the feet. Cloths wrung out inhot water, then inclosed in dry ones, are the bestmeans to reduce swelling after an injury.Cold is used also to reduce swelling, as well asto stimulate breathing, and to reduce temperaturein sunstroke. Of course, ice cannot be obtainedin the wilderness, save in winter, but, ifthe affectedpart cannot be soaked in a running stream, thencloths may be wrung out in water from a spring orcold brook, or an arrangement can be rigged to dischargea continuous stream of it upon the patient.Unconsciousness.— If you should find a personlying in a stupor or quite unconscious, seek thecause, before treating him, or you may do more