Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES 453enced persons, unless It really is necessary, as inthe case of a foot partly severed by an axe-cut. Ifan ordinary needle and thread must be used (by ncmeans an easy job) sterilize them by soaking ioa boiling solution of salt and water. (It is hereassumed that no better antiseptic agents are available.Sugar and water, or vinegar will do in apinch.) Do not sew continuously over and over,but make a deep stitch and snip off the thread, leavingenough at each end to tie with by and by. Repeatthis at proper intervals, until enough stitcheshave been taken; then, go back and tie them, oneafter another, with surgeon's knot (Fig. 193).Such sewing is easy to remove when the proper timecomes, say within about six days.Punctured Wounds.—To remove a splinter:slipthe point of a small knife-blade under the protrudingend and catch it with the thumb-nail; or,use a needle sterilized in flame, or tweezers. Bitsof glass should be cut out, lest they break.If a fish-hook is embedded in the flesh, never tryto pull it out backward. Push it through until thebarb appears, clip this off with nippers, and withdraw.If you have no nippers, cut the hook out—infact this is good treatment, anyhow, for the woundthen is open for antiseptic treatment, and will healwithout danger of festering.A puncture from a rusty nail, or the like, shouldbe slit open so that your antiseptic Is sure to reachthe bottom. This hurts less than cauterizing, andis quite effective. If a small punctured wound Isnot cut open, soak It in sterilized hot water, andsqueeze out as much as possible of the poisonousmatter that may have been Introduced. Nevercover a punctured wound with plaster or collodion.Gunshot Wounds.— If It is only a flesh woundfrom a rifle or pistol, simply apply a sterilized compressand bandage It In place, being careful not totouch the bullet hole with your fingers or anythingelse unclean. When a bone Is broken, apply spllntrIf the bullet has not gone through, but Is deeply