way: Let the patient sit with his head back in a low chair placed in a good light, and stand behind him holding his head between your side and upper arm. In this position the patient's head is held firmly while both of the operator's hands are free. Next draw down the lower lid, and remove the object, if visible, on the corner of a clean handkerchief. To turn back the upper lid, grasp the eyelashes firmly, draw the lid down, out, and then up over a match or pencil placed across the middle line of the lid and held in your other hand. Then wipe the object carefully away if it is visible.
Irritation that persists after the foreign body has been removed may be relieved by a cold compress continued for an hour or more, or by a drop or two of castor oil placed under the lid. If attempts to remove the foreign body prove unsuccessful, if the injury is severe, or if irritation continues after several hours, apply a cold compress, bandage it firmly so that the eyeball is kept at rest, and seek the aid of a physician.
Disorders Affecting the Ears.
—Permanent deafness may result from neglecting disorders of the ears. Ear-ache, discharge from the ear, swelling in or about it, pain or tenderness behind it, all require medical attention and no time should be lost in securing it. To relieve pain the patient may lie with the ear on an ice bag, but nothing
whatever should be put into the ear before the doctor comes, except when an insect has entered the ear, and causes acute distress by the noise of its beating wings. If such an accident has occurred, the patient should lie on the unaffected side, and warm sweet oil should be dropped very gently into the affected ear by means of a medicine dropper. The insect generally drowns in the oil and floats to the opening of the ear canal. After it has been removed, the patient should lie on the affected side so that the oil may drain out of the ear.
No attempts should be made to remove foreign bodies from the ear or nose, unless they can be reached easily with the fingers. Hair pins, crochet hooks and similar instruments should never be used for this purpose. It is best for a doctor to remove foreign objects because unskillful attempts are likely to move them further in.
CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE SKIN IS AFFECTED
Prickly-heat
, which affects babies and children more often than adults, is an eruption caused by heat and moisture, and aggravated by flannel underwear. It may be prevented by keeping the skin dry and cool, and it may be relieved by bathing the skin with alcohol and water, about one
part of alcohol to three of water, and by using after the bath a powder made of two parts of starch to one of boracic acid, or any good talcum powder.