Pye's surgical handicraft : a manual of surgical manipulations, minor surgery and other matters connected with the work of house surgeons and surgical dressers / [Walter Pye].

Walter Pye

Date:: 1891

Credit: Pye's surgical handicraft : a manual of surgical manipulations, minor surgery and other matters connected with the work of house surgeons and surgical dressers / [Walter Pye]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$All old poultices should Ije l>unicd directly, never allowed to remain in a ward, or be thrown into a dust-bin. An aseptic character is thought by some to be given to poultices, by making them with condy, carbolic lotion, sanitas, or liq. carbonis detergens, instead of with simple water. Of these fluids, the two last are the best, and are certainly of some use in the case of foul or sloughing wounds which are being poulticed. Charcoal. Oharcocil povltices. A more distinct antiseptic action is supposed to be exercised by poultices made of three parts of linseed to one of charcoal in powder, but the powder used in this way has much of its disinfectant power destroyed, and it is much better to sprinkle it in the dry form over the Avound, and then to apply an ordinary poultice over all. Mustaici. For counter-irritation mustard flour may be added to the crushed linseed in varying proportions (generally equal parts of each), and the poultice made as before. These mustard plasters are largely used in domestic medicine, but they arc often a useful stimulant in surgical cases, as in cold, or callous ulcers of the legs. Such applications as iodoform, or opium in powder, are sometimes dusted upon the surfaces of poultices; or laud- anum, or the tincture of belladonna, may be sprinkled over them for anodyne purposes, but this is not generally con- sidered a good way of administering such local remedies. Oatmeal. Oatmeal poultices are commonly used in Scotland, but more rarelv in the south of England. They are someM'hat heavier than linseed ones, but in the respect of caking when cold, etc., they are practically identical; they are also \ made in just the same manner. i3iead. Bread poultices are also in very common use, although they are rather difficult to make of the right consistence, neither sloppy nor crumbly, and so as to be non-adherent to the skin. ' Their lightness is their chief merit. The readiest way, but one which will do only for small poultices, is to take a slice of stale bread without crust, to place it in a scalded basin, and pour boiling water upon it. The basin should then be kept hot upon the hob, or in an oven for a few minutes. Then the water should be ])oured off it as completely as possible, and the remaining 1 tread pulp spread out upon linen or tOAv as in the c;\sc of linseed. But no large bread poultice of any consistence can Ije made in this way; if this be required, the crumb of a very stale loaf should be passed through a grater until it is like coarse flour. The poultice can then be made m the$