5559. Styptic Collodion

5559. Styptic Collodion. This is made by uniting equal parts of collodion and chloride of iron. It is recommended for erysipelas.

5560. Ehrle's New Preparation of Cotton for Stanching Hemorrhage

5560.     Ehrle's New Preparation of Cotton for Stanching Hemorrhage. American cotton of the best quality should be cleansed by boiling it for an hour in a weak solution of soda (about 4 per cent.), then repeatedly washed in cold water, pressed out, and dried. By this process it will be perfectly cleansed and adapted to more ready absorption. After this it should be steeped once or twice, according to the degree of strength required, in liquid perchloride of iron, diluted with 1/3 water, pressed, and thoroughly dried in the air — neither in the sun nor by the fire— then lightly pulled out. The cotton so prepared will be of a yellowish-brown color. It must be kept very dry, as it is affected by the damp.

5561. Styptic Paper

5561.      Styptic Paper. A mode for carrying about chloride of iron as a ready styptic has been invented in Paris, which consists in dipping paper in a decoction of 1 pound benzoin and 1 pound alum in 4 gallons water, which has been kept boiling for 4 hours, with renewal and skimming. The paper is left in the filtered solution for some time until saturated; it is then dried, and painted over with a neutral solution of perchloride of iron; this is then dried, folded, and wrapped in an impervious cover.

5562. New Styptic Collodion

5562.    New Styptic Collodion. Collodion, 100 parts; carbolic acid, 10 parts; pure tannin, 5 parts; benzoic acid, 5 parts. Agitate until the mixture is complete. This preparation, which has a brown color, leaves on evaporation a pellicle exactly similar to that of ordinary collodion. It adheres strongly to the tissues, and effects the instantaneous coagulation of blood and albumen. Tannin effects a consistent coagulation of the blood, whilst benzoic acid has a cicatrizing action on tho tissues.

5563. Spitting of Blood

5563.    Spitting of Blood. In cases of spitting of blood, it is often difficult to determine whether it proceeds from the internal surface of the mouth, from the throat, from the stomach, or from the lungs. When the blood is of a florid or frothy appearance, and brought up with more or less coughing, preceded by a short tickling cough, a saltish taste, anxiety, and tightness across the chest, its source is the lungs. The blood proceeding from the lungs is usually of a florid color, and mixed with a little frothy mucous only. It may be distinguished from bleeding from the stomach, by its being raised by hacking or coughing, and by its florid and frothy appearance; that from the stomach is vomited in considerable quantities, and is of a dark color.

5564. Treatment for Spitting of Blood

5564.     Treatment for Spitting of Blood. Moderate the discharge of blood by avoiding whatever tends to irritate the body and increase the action of the heart. A low diet should be strictly observed, and external heat and bodily exercise avoided; the air of the room should be cool, and the drink (which should consist chiefly of barley-water, acidulated with lemon-juice), taken cold, and the patient not suffered to exert his voice. After the operation of a little gentle aperient medicine, as lenitive electuary, or an infusion of senna, with a little cream of tartar dissolved in it, take 10 drops of laudanum and 10 drops of elixir of vitriol in half a cupful of cold water. If there is no cough, the laudanum may be omitted. A little salt and water given will often check spitting of blood, when it comes on. Put the feet in warm water, and give as above, the elixir of vitriol, etc.. Give also ipecacuanha powder in small doses of from 1 to 2 grains every 4 hours.