Limbs Fractured
Sources: Papers On HealthIt is not always easy to say definitely whether a
bone is broken or not. In general, however, the following are signs of
fracture:--(1) Loss of power in the limb; (2) Swelling or pain at the
injured spot; (3) Distortion of the limb, usually shorter than natural;
gentle pulling makes it temporarily regain its natural position; (4)
When the limb is gently moved, it moves at some spot between the
joints, and a grating sou
near the skin, a touch will perceive the irregularity due to the
fracture.
Pending the surgeon's arrival, if there is a fracture, do not attempt
to move the patient till the limb is so secured that the broken bone is
prevented from moving. If the arm bone is broken, put one splint inside
and another outside the arm, and tie two bandages, one on each side of
the fracture. Sling the arm in a small arm-sling like the straw
envelope of a bottle.
If the thigh be fractured, get a long splint, such as a broom handle or
a rifle, placing it from the pit of the arm to the foot. Bandage around
the chest, the hip bones, legs, and feet, and then by two bandages, one
above and the other below the fracture.
If the leg bone or bones be broken, an umbrella makes a good splint.
Another splint should be applied on the inside of the leg, the two
firmly bandaged together, and finally the legs tied together.
If the knee-cap only be fractured, tie the leg on a splint from hip to
foot, and keep the limb raised.
Almost any firm substance which can keep the limb at rest can be used
for a splint, but if hard it should be padded. If the fracture is
accompanied with severe bleeding, stop the flow first before attending
to the fracture. (See Wounds.)
More
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Hot-water Bags
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See Dropsy. ... Hysteria
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These are of two kinds, the one purely imaginary, the other where bodily trouble is mixed with the imagined. In the first case the patient is in agony with a pain, when nothing wrong can be discovered in the part, or even elsewhere, to account for it.... Indigestion
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A mother who has had strength to bear a child is, as a rule, quite strong enough to nurse it. Suckling is natural, and usually most beneficial to health. Many women have better health and appetite at such a time than at any other. Every mother ought, ... Infants' Food
For infants who cannot be nursed at the breast, cows' milk in the "bottle" is the best substitute. But all milk used from the cow should be sterilised and cooled before use. That is unless it is found on trial that the child thrives better on unsteril... Infants' Sleep
See Children's Sleep. ... Infection
Few things have so great and distressing effect as the fear of infection in disease. As a rule this fear is not justified by the facts, where ordinary precautions are taken. These precautions, too, need not be costly, and involve in many cases little ... Inflammation Deep-seated
Often inflammation occurs in the centre of, or beneath, a mass of muscle, as the hip or thigh. We refer not to the formation of an ABSCESS (see), but to the violent, hot inflammatory action that often issues in an abscess. For this the treatment shoul... Inflammation Of The Bowels
See Bowels. ... Inflammation Of The Brain
See Brain. See also Knee; Limbs, Inflamed; Lungs, etc. ... Inflammatory Outbreaks
Sometimes a severe out-break and eruption will occur in and around the nostrils or lips, and spread over the face. (If of the nature of erysipelas, treat as under that head.) In ordinary cases, there is need for more than local treatment, as it is pro... Internal Relaxation
Pain is often felt in parts of the back or sides which will yield to no medicine such as usually relieves. This most probably arises from relaxation and swelling of some internal part of the body, so that there is more or less constant pressure on som... Itch
See Rash. ... Jaundice
This disease, or its approach, may be known by several signs: a more or less yellow colour of the skin where otherwise white; a yellowness of the whites of the eyes, and failure of the bowels to act sufficiently, with lack of appetite. It may come on ... Kidney Complaints
See Urinary Troubles. ... Knee Swelling Of Or Pain In
For ordinary slight injuries, complete rest, and rubbing with spirit lotion, should be sufficient. But where there is previous weakness, or constitutional tendency, even slight pain and stiffness, caused by wet or some blow or wrench, the joint must ... Lacing Tight
This produces such serious deformity, and in many ways so interferes with the health of women, that we are constrained to write upon the subject. We find in cases which come before us that lacing, both of the feet and the waist, as practised by our wo... Lancing Swellings
See Abscess. ... Lather How To Make
One of the most powerful soothing influences which can be had, is found in the lather of M'Clinton's soap, so often recommended in these pages. Applied to the skin over a stomach which has been rejecting all food, and even retching on emptiness, for h... Laudanum
There is intense drowsiness and contraction of pupils of eye. Give an emetic and plenty of strong coffee. Walk patient up and down. On no account allow him to give way to the desire for sleep. ... Legs Pricking Pains In
Sometimes curious pricking pains are felt in the legs, becoming so severe as even to confine a patient to bed. Nothing can be seen on the skin, and no swelling or other visible sign of trouble is present. Evidently this requires treatment more partic... Limb Saving A
The proper growth of the body in any part depends on the power furnished by the nervous system and the cells of that part. This power enables these cells to use the nutritive substance in the blood for the formation of new tissue. By this process, gro... Limbs Disjointed Or Sprained
In the case of an overstretch, or sprain, which has resulted in a hardened, swollen, and painful state of the muscles of the arm, bathe the arm in hot water, using plenty of SOAP (see). While the arm lies in this bath, gently squeeze it with both han... Limbs Drawn-up
We have had many cases of contracted limbs, arising from various causes. Some of these have been completely cured, even when the tendons or cords which were contracted were going to be cut by medical advice. In one case, however, of which we knew, the... Limbs Fractured
It is not always easy to say definitely whether a bone is broken or not. In general, however, the following are signs of fracture:--(1) Loss of power in the limb; (2) Swelling or pain at the injured spot; (3) Distortion of the limb, usually shorter th... Limbs Inflamed
Entirely different treatment from the above is needed for such a thing as inflammation of the elbow, wrist, shoulder-joint or knee. Say it is an inflamed elbow that is to be treated. We describe this; but similar treatment, with very slight variati... Limbs Uncontrollable
This trouble is found in the double form; first, of limbs which will not move when their owner desires to move them; and, second, limbs moving in excessive jerks when they are not desired to do so. These cases are often combined, the limbs being rigid... Liquorice
See Constipation. ... Liver The
Where biliousness prevails, without any symptom of real liver disease, it is well first to look to the state of the stomach and bowels. Take a teacupful of hot water twenty minutes before meals, and the liquorice mixture (see Constipation) after meals... Locomotor Ataxia
This disease is a most difficult one to deal with, and any healing is very slow work. Patients past middle life are specially difficult cases, but we have known cure, or at least great mitigation in younger persons by the following treatment. Beginnin... Lumbago
Lumbago differs from both paralysis and cramp of the lower back in that it is not chiefly nervous, as these are, but is a trouble in the muscular substance itself. The muscles are either sprained or chilled, so as to have lost for the time their elast... Lungs Bleeding From
This is usually taken as a most alarming, and even hopeless, symptom. It is not necessarily so at all, and even when a considerable amount of blood is lost, the patient may recover. Therefore, let friends not be frightened when this occurs, but bend ... Lungs Congestion Of The
Treatment as below. Read preceding and succeeding articles. ... Lungs Inflammation Of The
This is a common trouble in our climate, and, fortunately, one not difficult to cure if taken in time and properly treated. It is usually the result of a chill, and is accompanied with pain and inability to breathe properly, distressing fever, and of... Malaria
Is now known to be conveyed by the bite of a certain kind of mosquito. Those who live in a malarious district should carefully exclude these from their houses, and by draining swamps and covering water butts prevent their breeding, which is always in ... Massage
This seems a very simple thing to do, but is by no means easy to do right, and it is very desirable that any one who can see it done by a qualified person should take advantage of the opportunity. The rubber must keep his attention closely fixed on th... Measles
An attack of this disease generally begins with a feeling of weariness. Then it appears as running and irritation of the eyes and nostrils, at which stage it is often taken for a common cold, the symptoms being very similar. Then this irritation sprea... Medicines
The delusion that health can be restored by swallowing drugs is so widespread that we think it well to quote the following wise words from the Lancet:-- "An eminent physician not long deceased was once giving evidence in a will case, and on being a... Memory Loss Of
A more or less complete suspension of this faculty is a not uncommon form of mental and bodily illness. We do not so much mean the mere fading of past impressions as the loss of power to recall them, so that we cannot recall what we wish to remember. ... Mind In Disease
Often a person, because of physical failure, becomes possessed of an utterly erroneous idea, which no reasoning can change or remove. Indeed, reasoning in such cases is best avoided. Attention should rather be directed to the physical cause of the men... Mineral Acids And Glacial Acetic
If any neutralising agent, such, e.g., as lime, chalk, soda, or calcined magnesia, is at hand, give it at once. Or give an emetic, followed by oil or milk and water. ... Miscarriage
An expectant mother should lead a quiet, orderly and healthful life (see Child-birth). By this we do not mean laziness nor idleness, nor treating herself as an invalid. On the contrary, plenty of work, both physical and mental, and regular exercise ar... Muscular Action Weak
The heart is the most important of all muscles. Sometimes the action of this is so weak that the pulse in the right wrist is imperceptible, and that in the left extremely feeble. The heart may be beating at the usual rate, only its stroke is much too ... Muscular Pains
These pains occur usually when a patient has been for some time in one position, sitting or lying, and rises suddenly in a particular way. They sometimes take such hold of the breast or back muscles as to make it appear as if some serious disease were... Mushrooms
Emetic; castor oil and enema. ... Mustard Oil
Where this is recommended the cold-drawn oil is meant, not the essential oil. The latter is a fiery blister. ... Narcotics
The use of these to give temporary relief, often degenerating into a habit, causes so much serious disease that we have felt constrained to insert an article warning our readers in regard to it. The use of tobacco we have found a fruitful source of da... Neck Stiff
For this, rub the whole back with soap lather (see Lather; Soap), and then with acetic acid and olive oil. Rub the neck itself as recommended for Muscular Action. ... Neck Twisted
This arises from the undue contraction of some of the muscles in the neck. It generally shows itself first in the evening, after the day's fatigue, and if neglected, or treated with blistering, iodine, etc., may become a chronic affliction. Yet it is ... Nerve Centres Failing
Many diseases flow from this cause, but at present we only consider one. That is where a "numbness" begins to show itself in fingers and toes, and to creep up the limbs. No time should be lost in treating such a case. It arises from failure in the spi... Nerve Pain
See Pain. ... Nerve Shock
After a fright, or some very trying experience, some part of the nervous system is frequently found to have given way. Heat is felt in the stomach. Then, if no treatment is given, curious feelings come on in the back of the head. Even inflammation of ...