Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health

by S. A. D. Tissot

§ 433. When a Burn is very trifling and superficial, and occasions no Vesication or Blister, it is sufficient to clap a Compress of several Folds of soft Linen upon it, dipt in cold Water, and to renew it every Quarter of an Hour, till the Pain is entirely removed. But when the Burn has blistered, a Compress of very fine Linen, spread over with the Pomatum, [Nº. 64], should be applied over it, and changed twice a Day.

If the true Skin is burnt, and even the Muscles, the Flesh under it, be injured, the same Pomatum may be applied; but instead of a Compress, it should be spread upon a Pledget of soft Lint, to be applied very exactly over it, and over the Pledget again, a Slip of the simple Plaister [Nº. 65], which every Body may easily prepare; or, if they should prefer it, the Plaister [Nº. 66].

But, independently of these external Applications, which are the most effectual ones, when they are directly to be had; whenever the Burn has been very violent, is highly inflamed, and we are apprehensive of the Progress and the Consequences of the Inflammation, the same Means and Remedies must be recurred to, which are used in violent Inflammations: the Patient should be bled, and, if it is necessary, it should be repeated more than once, and he should be put into a Regimen; drink nothing but the Ptisans [Nº. 2] and [4], and receive daily two simple Glysters.

If the Ingredients for the Ointment, called Nutritum, are not at Hand to make the Pomatum [Nº. 64]; one Part of Wax should be melted in eight such Parts of Oil, to two Ounces of which Mixture the Yolk of an Egg should be added. A still more simple and sooner prepared Application, is that of one Egg, both the Yolk and the White, beat up with two common Spoonfuls of the sweetest Oil, without any Rankness. When the Pain of the Burn, and all its other Symptoms have very nearly disappeared, it is sufficient to apply the Sparadrap, or Oil-cloth [Nº. 66].

Of Wounds.

§ 434. If a Wound has penetrated into any of the Cavities, and has wounded any Part contained in the Breast, or in the Belly: Or if, without having entered into one of the Cavities, it has opened some great Blood-vessel; or if it has wounded a considerable Nerve, which occasions Symptoms much more violent, than would otherwise have happened; if it has penetrated even to and injured the Bone: in short, if any great and severe Symptom supervenes, there is an absolute Necessity for calling in a Surgeon. But whenever the Wound is not attended with any of these Circumstances; when it affects only the Skin, the fat Membrane beneath it, the fleshy Parts and the small Vessels, it may be easily and simply dressed without such Assistance; since, in general, all that is truly necessary in such Cases is, to defend the Wound from the Impressions of the Air; and yet not so, as to give any material Obstruction to the Discharge of the Matter, that is to issue from the Wound.

§ 435. If the Blood does not particularly flow out of any considerable Vessel, but trickles almost equally from every Spot of the Wound, it may very safely be permitted to bleed, while some Lint is speedily preparing. As soon as the Lint is ready, so much of it may be introduced into the Wound as will nearly fill it, without being forced in; which is highly improper, and would be attended with the same Inconveniences as Tents and Dossils. It should be covered over with a Compress dipt in sweet Oil, or with the Cerecloth [Nº. 65]; though I prefer the Compress for the earliest Dressings: and the whole Dressing should be kept on, with a Bandage of two Fingers Breadth, and of a Length proportioned to the Size of the Part it is to surround: This should be rolled on tight enough to secure the Dressings, and yet so moderately, as to bring on no Inflammation.

This Bandage with these Dressings are to remain on twenty-four or forty-eight Hours; Wounds being healed the sooner, for being less frequently drest. At the second Dressing all the Lint must be removed, which can be done with Ease, and with reasonable Speed, to the Wounded; and if any of it should stick close, in Consequence of the clogged and dried Blood, it should be left behind, adding a little fresh Lint to it; this Dressing in other Respects exactly resembling the first.

When, from the Continuance of this simple Dressing, the Wound is become very superficial, it is sufficient to apply the Cerecloth, or Plaister, without any Lint.

Such as have conceived an extraordinary Opinion of any medical Oils, impregnated with the Virtues of particular Plants, may, if that will increase their Satisfaction, make use of the common Oil of Yarrow, of Trefoil, of Lilies, of Chamomile, of Balsamines, or of red Roses; only being very careful, that such Oils are not become stale and rank.