Accidents from fire are very likely to cause a panic, but possibly you may by effort so cultivate coolness and presence of mind, as to act wisely and deliberately even then, even if your own clothes are on fire. If you are able to think at all, the question will be if there is water within reach that can be used to extinguish it immediately; if there is not, how can it be smothered? Possibly the burning portion can be enveloped in that part of the dress that is not burned; or a rug may be within reach, or some woolen thing that may be used to stifle it, without pressing it against the person’s flesh. But very probably the best that the person can do is to lie down on the floor and roll on the carpet. If you see another woman on fire, do not scream or run away; grasp her clothes all together, if you can without pressing the fire against her person; or if you can immediately put out the fire by catching up a rug or some heavy woolen thing and enveloping her in it, do so. Remember at the same time to avoid inhaling much of the flames or setting fire to your own clothes.
Burns and Scalds. There are various modes of treating burns, but one good general rule is that the dressings should be so applied as to exclude the air. If the skin is not destroyed or removed, either the bicarbonate of soda may be applied dry, or in a strong solution; or wheat flour may be applied dry, and the burn covered with a thick layer of cotton batting; or the white of egg may be spread over it, and another layer put on as soon as one dries, until some six or eight layers are applied. If the skin is abraded either olive oil or vaseline or carbolated cosmoline applied and covered with cotton or wool is a good dressing. (F. 187, 214.)
Burns produced by strong acids should be first bathed with some alkaline solution such as soda or ammonia; on the contrary if lime or caustic potash cause the injury, neutralize the alkali by applying acid diluted; a teaspoonful of vinegar or lemon juice in a teacupful of water would suffice.
If a BAD SCALD is occasioned by a child falling backward in the water, carefully undress the child; lay it on a bed on its breast if the burn is on its back; then dust over the parts with bicarbonate of soda; lay muslin or cotton wool over it, and so arrange the bed by means of two boxes and a board that the covering cannot press on the scald.
If a FRAGMENT OF LIME GETS INTO THE EYE, bathe it immediately with a weak solution of vinegar or lemon juice.
If something like dust or dirt gets in the eye, it may be cleaned out by taking hold of the eye lash and pulling the upper lid down, and forcibly blowing the nose. You may sometimes wipe the dirt from the eye with a soft handkerchief. Always wipe the eye towards the nose.
When something like a PEA or CHERRY PIT IS IN THE NOSTRIL direct the patient to draw in a full breath, then close the mouth and the other nostril and try to blow the offending object out. If he fails you can probably remove it by means of a hair-pin; or while the other nostril is closed, blow forcibly into the mouth and dislodge the object.
Remove insects from the ear by oil or tepid water. A little oil or glycerine may first be dropped into the ear; and then it may be syringed with warm or tepid water, taking care not to close the opening with the nozzle of the syringe. This may be tried if the substance in the ear is hard.
If a child is choked let it get on all fours and cough. Anything stuck or lodged in the throat may sometimes be worked out with a hair-pin or bent wire.
If a CROCHET NEEDLE’S HOOKED POINT IS IN THE FLESH make certain on which side the hook is, then put an ivory bodkin or any similar article down to the hook, and draw both out together.