A very distressing little accident is the dislocation of the lower jaw. I once had a patient who rode a long distance with his mouth wide open, suffering a great deal of inconvenience and no little pain, when one of his friends could have relieved him in an instant. Wrap both your thumbs in several layers of cloth, stand behind the patient, who should be seated, and place your thumbs thus protected, on his back teeth, grasp his jaws on either side with your fingers, press down with your thumbs, up with your fingers, at the same time drawing the jaw forward. The bones will go back with a snap and the victim will spasmodically close his mouth hard enough to draw blood unless your thumbs are well shielded.
Dislocations of the joints of the fingers may be reduced by taking a double half-hitch around the finger below the dislocation with a handkerchief, placing your left thumb back of the head of the dislocated bone, and as you pull on the handkerchief with your right hand push forward and downward with your left. The bone will readily slip into place.
Dislocations should be kept at rest for several days and any tendency toward inflammation kept down by the application of water. Severe dislocations, as those of the hip, should be treated similarly to fractures.
Sprains and bruises, while not serious, are often very annoying. When the accident first occurs immerse the limb in cold spring water. This has a tendency to contract the small blood vessels and keep down inflammation. If, however, swelling has already set in, hot water should give place to cold, as hot as can be borne. A consistent application of hot water to a sprain or bruise will ordinarily cure it in a few days.
It may be necessary, under certain conditions, to bandage the limb, especially if one has to make a journey. By applying a roller bandage snugly about a sprained ankle, for instance, one may travel in comparative comfort for several miles. Of course, he will pay the penalty afterwards, but I am speaking now of cases where it is imperative that a man travel.
In applying any bandage be sure that it has no wrinkles in it. It must be laid perfectly smooth and drawn reasonably tight. A loose bandage or one that is placed unevenly is worse than useless.
CARING FOR BURNS, CUTS,
DROWNING, AND MINOR
ACCIDENTS