495. White Vitriol.—Give the patient plenty of milk and water.
In almost all cases of poisoning, emetics are highly useful, and of those, one of the very best, because most prompt and ready, is the common mustard flour or powder, a spoonful of which, stirred up in warm water, may be given every five or ten minutes, until free vomiting can be obtained.
Emetics and warm demulcent drinks, such as milk and water, flaxseed or slippery elm tea, chalk water, &c., should be administered without delay. The subsequent management of the case will of course be left to a physician.
496. To prevent Death from the Bite of Venomous Animals.—From observations made by Dr. Bancroft, it is found, that in South America, where the most venomous serpents abound, a very tight ligature, instantly made after the bite, between the part bitten and the trunk of the body, will prevent immediate danger, and allow time for proper means of remedy, either by excision of the whole joint, just above the ligature, or by topical applications upon the part bitten.
For instance, if the bite should be upon the end of the finger, a tight ligature of small cord should immediately be made beyond the next joint of the finger.
If the bite is on any part of the hand, the ligature should be made above the wrist, by means of a garter or cord, lapped several times round the arm, and rendered as tight as possible, by a small stick thrust betwixt the folds of the cord or garter, and twisted round very hard, to prevent the circulation of the blood betwixt the part bitten and the other part of the body. Ligatures of the same kind, applied by any one present, or the man himself, will frequently save a person's life, where, by accident, an artery in any of the limbs is wounded, and no surgeon is at hand.
497. Prevention of Hydrophobia.—As there has been hitherto no remedy discovered which can be said to possess a specific control over this dreadful malady, and therefore little hope can be entertained of a cure for it, our best endeavors should be directed to the preventive treatment. This is to be commenced, then, by completely cutting out the whole wound as soon as possible after the bite of a suspected animal. After this, bleeding should be encouraged by immersion in warm water, or the application of a cupping-glass. Caustic should next be applied to every part of the wound, which is then to be covered with a poultice, and suffered to heal by granulation, or be kept open, and made to suppurate, by irritating ointments. The excision should never be omitted, even though the bitten part have healed, and let the interval since its occurrence be what it may. As for any of innumerable so-called specifics, there is not one that is worth a moment's trial.