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Ankle Twisted Or Crushed

Sources: Papers On Health

Place the foot as soon as possible in warm

water, as hot as can comfortably be borne; keep it there until free

from pain, or for an hour, or even more if necessary. If the flesh be

torn, dress with cloths wrung out of vinegar or weak acetic acid before

placing in the water.



When the bath has done its work, and the limb comes out of the water

alarmingly swollen, good and skilful bandaging will do excellent
work.

If you have at hand an old shirt, or some such thing, tear it into

strips about three inches wide, till you have as much material as will

swathe the whole limb from behind the toes up to the top of the thigh.

This need not be all in one piece, but only so that you may apply it in

such a way as to bring a very gentle pressure on the whole surface of

the injured limb. It is important that the bandaging should be

comfortable. The way in which bandaging is sometimes done is cruel in

the extreme. Cases that are a disgrace to humanity are constantly

coming under our notice, in which limbs are lost for life by the

treatment they receive in this respect. Skilful surgeons do it in the

most gentle manner; they even swathe the limbs in soft loose cotton

before they apply the bandages, so that a perfectly equal and

comforting pressure may be secured. Lay the limb to rest, well and

softly supported in a horizontal position. When the swelling falls,

gently tighten the bandage from time to time as required. Each time the

bandages are removed for this purpose, sponge the limb with warm

vinegar or weak ACETIC ACID (see). When the swelling subsides, the

ankle may be put again in the hot bath for half-an-hour, and then, if

any bones be broken, is the time for setting them right. The ankle will

probably turn black. If so, do not apply leeches, but allow the black

blood to be absorbed by natural process.



A twisted or bruised wrist or hand is to be treated in the same way.

The swelling may also be removed by gentle rubbing upwards along the

limb, so as to help the blood in its course.



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