When the tourniquets are applied, the patient must lie on a flat hair mattress, have his limb well washed and dried, lightly but evenly bandaged, and somewhat raised. If the thigh is hairy it should be shaved where the pads will press, and dusted with powdered French chalk. The tourniquets are next adjusted, as seen in fig. 101; the patient is taught to change the pressure when it grows irksome, by screwing down the second pad, and then releasing the first.
To improvise a Tourniquet.—A tourniquet may readily be formed on emergency from a handkerchief, a stone, and a stick. Fold a stone the size of an egg in the middle of a handkerchief, lay it over the main artery, tie the ends of the handkerchief round the limb, slip the stick underneath and twist it round, till the tightened handkerchief draws the stone on to the artery and arrests the flow of blood (see fig. 102).
Fumigation.—Mercurial vapour baths are contrived in various ways. The following plan succeeds perfectly well when the whole surface of the body is to be exposed to the vapour (fig. 103).
Fig. 103.—Mercurial fumigation.
Fig. 104.—Lamp for fumigating.
Apparatus.—A Langston Parker’s lamp made by Savigny and other instrument makers. In this a spirit lamp, holding the required amount of spirit is protected in a cage, on the top of which is a receptacle for the calomel, and a small saucer for water (fig. 104). The flame beneath boils the water and volatilises the calomel. Water is added, because the calomel vapour, when associated with steam, acts more efficiently than with dry air.
The lamp is placed under a high wicker chair, on which the patient sits undressed, and round his neck, a frame is tied, made of cane hoops, with a calico cover sewn over them; this falls to the ground and encloses his body in a chamber, where the vapour is confined while absorbed into the skin. A blanket thrown over the frame completes the preparation. If a hoop frame be not at hand a lady’s wire-hooped petticoat answers the purpose quite as well.
