The village-pastor's surgical and medical guide, in letters from an old physician to a young clergyman, his son.

  • Skrimshire, F. (Fenwick), 1774 or 1775-1855.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The village-pastor's surgical and medical guide, in letters from an old physician to a young clergyman, his son. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    the wound by a lancet, will bring the thorn, or whatever else it may be, within view, so that it may be easily extracted. If a needle, or other pointed body, completely embedded in the flesh, can be grasped endways between the fingers and thumb, the point may be made to penetrate the skin from within outwards, so as to be easily with- drawn. A fishhook, buried in the flesh beyond its barb, must be withdrawn in the same manner bv j carrying the point onwards, so as to penetrate the skin from within outwards. In cases of more dif- ficulty leave the extraction to abler hands. Whether anything be permanently lodged in the wound or not, the proper applications will be warm fomentations and poultices; and here again I must caution you against nostrums. It is not uncommon to apply the term drawing to certain hot stimulating unguents and plasters; and several such are ex- tolled for their power of bringing whatsoever is lodged in a wound to the surface; but believe me, this is always done, and only done, by the natural process of inflammation proceeding to suppuration, or the formation of matter, and the consequent ab- sorption or removal of the interposed parts between the substance and the surface of the skin. This suppuration may be to any extent, according to the size of the body lodged in the wound, and other circumstances, from a small pustule, containing only a single drop of matter, to a large abscess con- taining pints.