OF CASUALTIES.

373

disease. If there be inflammation, fomenting and bleeding near the atfecied part and saline cathartics are beneficial; but we also recommendease.

Many external applications are recommended for strains. The fol-lowing are such has may be used with the greatest safety, viz. poulticesmade of stale beer or vinegar and oatmeal, camphorated spirits of wine,water of acetated ammonia, liniment of ammonia, compound spirit olammonia diluted with a double quantity of water; and the commonfomentation, with the addition of brandy or spirit of wine.

CHAP. LIII.

OF CASUALTIES.

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IT is certain that life, when to all appearance lost, may often, by duecare, be restored. Accidents frequently prove fatal, merely becauseproper means are not used to counteract their effects. No person oughtto be looked upon as killed by any accident, unless where the structureof the heart, brain, or some organ necessary to life is evidently destroy-ed. The action of these organs may be so far impaired as even to be forsome time imperceptible, when life is by no means gone. In this case,however, if the fluids be suffered to grow cold, it will be impossible toput them again in motion, even though the solids, should recover theitpower of acting. Thus, when the motion of the lungs has been stoptby unwholesome vapour, the action of the heart by a stroke on the breast,or the functions of the brain by a blow on the head, if the person besuffered to grow cold, he will in all probability continue so; but, if thebody be kept warm, as soon as the injured part has recovered its powerof acting, the fluids will again begin to move, and all the vital functionswill be restored.

The unhappy person, instead of being carried into a warm house, andlaid by the fire, or put to a warm bed, is generally hurried away tochurch, or a barn, or some other cold damp house, where, after a fruit-less attempt has been made to bleed him perhaps by one who knewnothing of the matter, he is given over for dead, and no further noticetaken of him.

When a person seems to be suddenly deprived of life, our first busi-ness is to enquire into the cause. We ought carefully to observ*whether any substance be lodged in the windpipe or gullet; and, if thatis the case, attempts must be made to remove it. When unwholesomeair is ihe cause, the patient ought immediately to be removed out of itIf the circulation be suddenly stopped, from any cause whatever, excepfmere weakness, the patient should be bled. If the blood does not flow.he may be immersed in warm wat<*r, or rubbed with warm cloths, &c. topromote the circulation. When the cause cannot be suddenly removed,our great aim must be to keep up the vital warmth, by rubbing the pa-

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