The surgeon's handbook on the treatment of wounded in war : a prize essay / by Friedrich Esmarch ; translated by H.H. Clutton.
- Date:
- 1878
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The surgeon's handbook on the treatment of wounded in war : a prize essay / by Friedrich Esmarch ; translated by H.H. Clutton. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![wound, they are wrapped round with thick cotton threads in alternating circles and figures of eight, so that the edges of the skin are pressed firmly against each other. The ends of the needle are then nipped off with a pair of pliers. To unite the edges of the wound more accurately, a few fine interrupted sutures are placed in the intervals between the needles. The remains of the needles can be drawn out on the second day, with a twisting motion, by means of a pair of pincers, but the pads of thread, which are generally glued to the skin by the blood, are allowed to remain some days. This suture is especially adapted for large gaping wounds of the face, such as commonly occur after plastic operations. • c. The fold suture (Faltennaht, fig. 26) serves for the union of very thin and flaccid edges of skin, which are by this method raised to a fold, and the surfaces in contact increased. Fig. 26. The fold suture. H. BANDAGES. To keep the dressings on, to envelope, compress, and fix the injured parts of the body, bandages are used, and these are made of the following materials: a. of Linen; these are best made of old soft linen, which has been frequently washed, and torn, or cut according to the thread (bandages of new linen adapt themselves badly, because they are too stiff); b. torn from Cotton-stuff (Shirting); these are cheaper than the linen, and especially useful for starch bandages; c. cut from Gauze (Muslin); these adapt themselves well, if pre- viously moistened; and stick together when dry, because they contain starch; they are especially suitable for the application of plaster of Paris; d. torn from Flannel] these are soft and pliable, and consequently accomodate themselves well to the part; they are especially suitable for placing beneath starch and plaster of Paris bandages; e. cut out of Cotton-wool] these are soft and compressible, and are therefore in like manner suitable for placing beneath hardening bandages. •](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21979236_0038.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
