The Scientific American cyclopedia of formulas : partly based upon the twenty-eighth edition of Scientific American cyclopedia of receipts, notes and queries 15,000 formulas / edited by Albert A. Hopkins.

Albert A. Hopkins

Date:: 1910

Credit: The Scientific American cyclopedia of formulas : partly based upon the twenty-eighth edition of Scientific American cyclopedia of receipts, notes and queries 15,000 formulas / edited by Albert A. Hopkins. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$(Fish Bones in Throat) are often unwholesome, perhaps from the causes suggested. Fish Bone in the Throat. A raw egg taken immediately will carry down a fish bone that cannot be gotten up from the throat. Foul Air in Drains and Privies. This usually consists of sulphuretted hydrogen, and arises from the decompo¬ sition of the residual matters found in these situations. Great caution, on this account, should always be observed on opening and entering such places, or places in possible communication with them, especially if they have been long closed. A small quantity of pure sul¬ phuretted hydrogen, if inhaled, is usually fatal; but in the cases referred to the gas usually exists diluted with common air. The breathing becomes difficult, the person loses his strength, falls, becomes insensible and cold, the lips and face are blue, and the mouth is covered with bloody mucus. The person should be removed as quickly as possible beyond the influence of the foul air, and the treatment described for asphyxia by carbonic-acid gas should be applied. The possibility of such a disaster should always be borne in mind in opening long- closed or privy-vaults, and the danger lessened by taking a few pounds of chloride of lime (bleaching powder), dis¬ solving it in a pailful of water, and dash¬ ing it into the cavity. In the absence of this, lime and water in the form of the common “whitewash” may be employed. This gas readily combines with lime, to that extent freeing the air of the poison¬ ous compound. Fractures. Very little can be done in case of frac¬ ture till a physician arrives. In a simple fracture only the bone is broken and there is no break in the skin ; in a compound fracture the skin is also broken, and some¬ times the bone protrudes. There is always some shock and great pain in the broken bone. If surgical assistance can be ob¬ tained without removing the patient, he should be left lying quietly. All that need be done is to cut the clothing over the affected part and put on it cloths wet with cold water, which will allay the pain to some extent. If no surgeon can be had, it will be necessary to make a splint which will hold the limb immovable. Two pieces of board will answer. They should be well padded with cotton batting, or any¬ thing else which will be soft enough to (Ice, Slipping on) take off the pressure of the direct boards. Canes or umbrellas have been used in ex¬ treme cases. The patient should then be placed very gently on a litter made of a shutter or bench, and carried very care¬ fully home. # The treatment for a com¬ pound fracture is about the same as for a simple fracture. Freezing. In general freezing (short of actual death), keep the patient away from the heat. Take him to a cold room and rub him vigorously, especially the extremities, with snow, or cloths wet with cold water. The friction will re-establish the circu¬ lation slowly ; whereas the rapid thawing out caused by immediate application of heat is apt to be followed by sloughing of the frozen parts. The above applies to dry heat, i. e., direct from a fire. It is advised by some, however, to put the frozen person at once in a warm or hot bath, and leave him there until thoroughly warmed through. If the breathing has stopped or is very slow, try to re-establish it or help it by artificial respiration. When the patient begins to breathe naturally and to regain consciousness, give stimulants, a little brandy or whiskey, or hot beef tea, or hot milk, or hot coffee, very little at a time and frequently; that is, one or two teaspoonfuls every two or three minutes, until he has revived enough to take a larger quantity with ease. Until sure that no portion of the body—for example, a hand or foot—is still frozen, do not ex¬ pose the patient to the direct heat of a fire, but bring him into warmer air grad¬ ually. When fully restored from the acute frozen condition, a few days of rest and careful feeding and good nursing will gen¬ erally end in full recovery. Gas. Persons retiring at night very often leave the gas “turned down,” and the flame becomes extinguished. Enough gas may then escape to give trouble to the sleeper, unless the room is well ventilated. Persons have been known to “blow it out” as they would a candle, and suffocation more or less complete has followed. Treat as in the asphyxia from carbonic-acid gas, just described. Ice, Protection Against Slipping on, Etc. Let 50 grams of thick turpentine, 200 grams of rosin, 50 grams of benzine and 250 grams of alcohol stand in a bottle in a warm place until a dissolution of the turpentine and the rosin has taken place. [12]$