This done, take your knife and make a deep X over the wound, using the cotton in which the knife was wrapped to sponge away the blood. Encourage free bleeding. If you are near a stream bathe the wound freely, either squeezing or sucking it. You need not fear to swallow the poison. It will do no harm in the stomach. After the wound has bled freely, take the stick of silver nitrate and burn it out quite to the bottom. All of this will hurt, of course, but it is necessary.
The administration of the strychnia will follow next in order only if the depressant symptoms of the venom indicate its need. Should the patient feel the approach of the dizziness that is the beginning of the stage of paralysis, he should then think about his strychnia. Dissolve one of the tablets in warm water and fill the barrel of the syringe; screw on the needle, first removing the fine wire that runs through it. Plunge the needle into the fleshy part of the arm at an angle of about ten degrees from the horizontal and push home the plunger. Repeat this every fifteen minutes until the heart Has returned to the normal.
These directions closely followed will save every case of rattlesnake bite, and in many instances the patient will not require the strychnia at all. The wound made by the knife will require the same general treatment as any other simple wound.
THE CAMPER'S MEDICINE CHEST
THE CAMPER'S MEDICINE CHEST
Surgical Supplies
- One instrument roll, 80 cents.
- One paper medium size safety pins, 10 cents.
- One paper medium size common pins, 5 cents.
- One-half dozen assorted gauze bandage, size one-to three-inch; 10 cents each.
- Two yards sterilized plain gauze in carton, 20 cents yard.
- Four ounces sterilized absorbent cotton in carton, 20 cents.
- One roll three-inch adhesive plaster, $1.
- One-fourth dozen silk ligature braided, in glass tube fitted with half curved needles, 30 cents a tube.
- One card braided silk ligature, assorted on one card (white), about 30 cents.
- One-half dozen assorted egg-eyed surgeon's needles, half to full curve, 50 cents.
- One ounce Squibb's surgical powder, 50 cents oz.; or a like amount of camphophenique powder, $1.
- One hundred Bernay's antiseptic tablets (blue), 25 cents.
- Two five-inch hemostatic forceps (Kelly's), about $1 each.
- One pair straight, sharp-pointed surgeon's shears, about $1.25.
- One needle holder (Emmet's), $2.50.
- One splinter forcep, may be used also for dressing forcep. This forcep should neither have mouse tooth jaws nor serrated jaws, and should run to a fine point; 50 cents.
- One hypodermic syringe, all metal, in metal case, $1.50.
- One one-minute clinical thermometer in metal case; will cost about $1.25, according to reliability. The best registered instrument is cheapest.
- One number 9 soft rubber catheter, 25 cents.
- One cake surgical soap, in metal box, 75 cents.
The above will comprise practically everything that may be found absolutely necessary. With them the ingenious man can perform practically every minor surgical operation that he would care to undertake. If he cares for a more elaborate outfit he may add the following: