Only one in a very large number of cases
will be really dangerous. When all the
above measures fail, a physician wall be
needed, who will effectually plug the bleed-
ing nostril . For this a watch-spring arrange-
ment is sometimes used, or an elastic
catheter. If the latter, a string (waxed
ligature) is put through the hole at the end
of the instrument, and that is oiled and very
gentl}^ passed back into the nostril until it
can be felt at the opening above the throat.
With forceps (nippers) one end of the string
is then seized and brought out of the mouth.
A piece of cotton is tied upon it, and then
the catheter and the other end of the string
are drawn out of the nose, and the cotton
plug is held firmly against the. back of the
nostril . If still necessary , another plug may
be again inserted in the front of the nostril .
Bleeding in the Mouth.
When a tooth has been pulled, or in an
infant, the gums have been freely lanced,
sometimes considerable bleeding will occur.
If from a tooth, a plug of cotton may be
dipped in creosote, or tincture of chloride
of iron , and pressed into the bleeding cavity
with the end of a bodkin or darning-needle.
Ice may be applied to too freely bleeding-
gums, or they may have put against them a
soft rag with alum-water or a solution of
ti7icture of chloride of iro7i.
Spitting of Blood.
Is it from the lungs, or from the throat,
mouth, or nostrils f
32
Not unfrequently, bleeding from the
nose goes backwards, into the throat, and
the blood, then hawked up, is naturally im-
agined to come from the lungs, sometimes
causing great alarm. Inquiry and examin-
ation will make it clear whether this, or
bleeding from the mouth, is the case.
Ulcerated throats sometimes bleed. The
ulcer can then be seen, in a good light, if
the tongue is pressed down with the handle
of a tablespoon. This sort of bleeding,
however, is not at all common.
When vomiting occurs before blood ap-
pears, we ascribe it to the stomach. The
blood is then, usually, rather dark and
thick ; not fresh -looking.
If real bleeding from the lungs takes
place, the blood is coughed up (perhaps
quite softly and lightly) ; it is, as a rule,
bright red. Only a little may come ; some-
times merely streaking the expectoration ;
or it may be copious ; mouthfuls all at once.
In this last case, it is attended b}'- danger of
exhaustion from the loss of blood.
No unprofessional person should think
of taking charge of a serious hemorrhage
without the aid of a physician, if one can be
had. While waiting for one, however,
what ought to be done ?
Put the patient upon a bed, with the
head and shoulders comfortably raised with
pillows. He must keep very still and not
speak . Let a piece of ice be taken into his
mouth every few minutes, and swallowed
slowly. Then fasten around each arm,
above the elbow, a shawl-strap, if such be
at hand, or a long handkerchief, quite
tightly; leaving each on, however, only a
few minutes at a time. If the bleeding does
not stop, let them be tightened again and
again, several times. Should this not suc-
ceed, and the doctor has not yet arrived,
similar straps or bandages ma}^ be applied in
the same manner to the lower limbs, just
below the knees.
Page 161
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Only one in a very large number of cases will be really dangerous. When all the above measures fail, a physician wall be needed, who will effectually plug the bleeding nostril . For this a watch-spring arrangement is sometimes used, or an elastic catheter. If the latter, a string (waxed ligature) is put through the hole at the end of the instrument, and that is oiled and very gentl}^ passed back into the nostril until it can be felt at the opening above the throat. With forceps (nippers) one end of the string is then seized and brought out of the mouth. A piece of cotton is tied upon it, and then the catheter and the other end of the string are drawn out of the nose, and the cotton plug is held firmly against the back of the nostril. If still necessary , another plug may be again inserted in the front of the nostril .
Bleeding in the Mouth.
When a tooth has been pulled, or in an infant, the gums have been freely lanced, sometimes considerable bleeding will occur. If from a tooth, a plug of cotton may be dipped in creosote, or tincture of chloride of iron , and pressed into the bleeding cavity with the end of a bodkin or darning-needle. Ice may be applied to too freely bleedinggums, or they may have put against them a soft rag with alum-water or a solution of tincture of chloride of iron.
Spitting of Blood.
Is it from the lungs, or from the throat, mouth, or nostrils f
Not unfrequently, bleeding from the nose goes backwards, into the throat, and the blood, then hawked up, is naturally imagined to come from the lungs, sometimes causing great alarm. Inquiry and examination will make it clear whether this, or bleeding from the mouth, is the case.
Ulcerated throats sometimes bleed. The ulcer can then be seen, in a good light, if the tongue is pressed down with the handle of a tablespoon. This sort of bleeding, however, is not at all common.
When vomiting occurs before blood appears, we ascribe it to the stomach. The blood is then, usually, rather dark and thick ; not fresh -looking.
If real bleeding from the lungs takes place, the blood is coughed up (perhaps quite softly and lightly); it is, as a rule, bright red. Only a little may come; sometimes merely streaking the expectoration; or it may be copious; mouthfuls all at once. In this last case, it is attended by danger of exhaustion from the loss of blood.
No unprofessional person should think of taking charge of a serious hemorrhage without the aid of a physician, if one can be had. While waiting for one, however, what ought to be done ?
Put the patient upon a bed, with the head and shoulders comfortably raised with pillows. He must keep very still and not speak . Let a piece of ice be taken into his mouth every few minutes, and swallowed slowly. Then fasten around each arm, above the elbow, a shawl-strap, if such be at hand, or a long handkerchief, quite tightly; leaving each on, however, only a few minutes at a time. If the bleeding does not stop, let them be tightened again and again, several times. Should this not succeed, and the doctor has not yet arrived, similar straps or bandages may be applied in the same manner to the lower limbs, just below the knees.