Wounds are distinguished by surgeons into CONTUSED WOUNDS, INCISED W., LACERATED W., POISONED W., PUNCTURED W., &c.; terms which explain themselves. Sword-cuts are incised wounds; gun-shot wounds, lacerated and contused ones. Slight wounds, and, indeed, all those not demanding material surgical assistance, after dirt and foreign substances have been removed, may be treated in the manner noticed under Cuts and Abrasions.
WOUND BAL′SAM. See Tincture of Benzoin.
WRIT′′ING, executed in the ordinary tanno-gallic ink, and which has been rendered illegible by age, may be restored by carefully moistening it, by means of a feather, with an infusion of galls, or a solution of ferrocyanide of potassium slightly acidulated with hydrochloric acid, observing to apply the liquid so as to prevent the ink spreading.
WRITING FLU′IDS. A term commonly applied, of late years, to easy flowing inks, adapted for metallic pens; in contradistinction to the old tanno-gallic compounds at one time exclusively employed for writing.
Prep. 1. Dissolve pure basic or soluble Prussian blue in pure distilled water, and dilute the resulting solution with pure water until the desired shade of colour is obtained. Very permanent and beautiful. It is not affected by the addition of alcohol, but is immediately precipitated by saline matter. The precipitate, however, still possesses the property of dissolving in pure water.
2. From the soluble ferrocyanide of potassium and iron, dissolved in pure water. Resembles the last, but it is precipitated from its solution by alcohol.
3. Powdered Prussian blue, 1 oz.; concentrated hydrochloric acid, 11⁄2 fl. oz.; mix in a matrass or glass bottle, and, after 22 or 30 hours, dilute the mass with a sufficient quantity of water.
4. Dissolve sulphindylate of potassa or ammonia in hot water, and, when cold, decant the clear portion. It is an intense blue, and dries nearly black; is perfectly incorrosive, and very permanent and easy flowing.
5. (Horning.) Perchloride of iron, 4 parts; water, 750 parts; dissolve, add of cyanide of potassium, 4 parts, dissolved in a little water; collect the precipitate, wash it with several effusions of pure water, allow it to drain until it weighs about 200 parts, then add of oxalic acid, 1 part; and promote solution by agitating the bottle or vessel containing it.
6. (Mohr.) Pure Prussian blue, 6 parts; oxalic acid, 1 part; triturate with a little