Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

450 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTquet without any lump, and twist it very tight indeed.This can only be done for a short time, whileyou are preparing to ligate the artery ; if prolonged,it will kill the limb, and gangrene will ensue. Incase of a punctured wound, such as a bullet hole,it is better to push a plug of sterilized gauze hardaown in the wound itself, leaving the outer endprojecting so that a bandage will hold the plug firmlyon the artery. This must be done, anyway,wherever a tourniquet cannot be used.higating.—^The above expedients are only temporary;for a cut artery, if of any considerable size,must be ligated—that is to say, permanently closedby tying one or both of the severed ends. To dothis you must have at least a pair of sharp-pointedfcrceps or strong tweezers. Get hold of the endof the artery with this, draw it out, and have someone hold \\.. Then take a piece of strong threadthat has been sterilized in boiling salt water (supposingyou have no regular antiseptic) make a loopin it as for a reef knot, but pass the right hand endof the thread twice around theother, instead of once (Fig.193—surgeon's knot—it willnever slip). Slip this loopFig. 193.—Surgeon's ^^^^n over the forceps andknot around the end of the artery,and draw tight. If the vesselbleeds from both ends, ligate both. When anartery is merely ruptured, not severed, cut it cleanin two before operating; it will close better.Nosebleed.—If the nose does not stop bleedingof itself, hold against the nape of the neck a clothwrung out in cold water. Put a roll of paperbetween the upper lip and the gum. Do not blowthe nose nor remove the clots. Holding the armsabove the head will help. If the bleeding stillcontinues, dissolve a teaspoonful of salt in a cupof water, and snnii some of this brine up the nose.Should these measures fail, make a plug by rollingup part of a half-inch strip of gauze or soft cloth,