Everyday Accidents

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing...but that didn't stop Mrs Cooper dispensing hers in the Stalbridge magazine of 1902, including such classics as "On no account put a dusty cobweb on a cut to stanch it". Here is her monthly advice from February 1902, entitled "Everyday Accidents"

EVERYDAY ACCIDENTS by Mrs. Orman Cooper

​"It has often been said that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing," but the want of it is far more dangerous. There are so many everyday ailments and accidents which, if promptly met, only result in momentary discomfort, but. if neglected, turn into serious ills.

We all know that the practice of domestic surgery is much to be deprecated. Home nursing on the other hand is much to be commended. Cases in which acquaintance with a few ambulance rules is valuable are often met with. And there is many a sickness which may properly be treated by mothers and sisters. Today I am going to speak of the commonest of accidents. Every day our special Tommies and Kitties and Billies fall down and cut themselves. When any one comes for aid to stanch a cut received in a fall along a dusty highway, be sure to wash the wound very thoroughly first of all. Dust from the street has been proved often to contain microbes of tetanus or lockjaw. To leave any granules of it in a cut is therefore to run considerable risk. Hold the wounded member over a basin of clean water. Squeeze a stream of drops from a sponge held rather high above the hand or arm or knee.  This will not hurt as much as would touching if however gently. Encourage some bleeding at first. On no account put a dusty cobweb on the cut in order to stanch at once. Do not hold the edges together tightly. If vou do they will be a long time knitting again. Just encourage blood to run for a few minutes then bind up fairly tight with a rag wetted in pure coldwater. If there be any soreness about the cut add a few drops of liquid Sanitas to the water. It very quickly forms a skin over any abrazed surface, and is a wonderful cure all. If the cut be a deep one, severing any big vein, another treatment must be adopted. I will give you an instance of what not to do! I was once called into help a poor man who had cut himself in the wrist with a scythe. I found the invalid seated up in an armchair, dangling his hand into a large basin of warm water.  Blood was streaming down, and the poor fellow was as white as a sheet. Immediately I reversed the position. He was made to lie on the kitchen floor, his arm raised above his head, and the wounded wrist and hand laved in cold water from a basin placed on a chair beside him. This change of posture immediately checked haemorrhage and brought some colour hack into the wan cheeks. " Always raise a cut limb!” is the first rule in treating such. Again, if Tommy’s nose begins to bleed, do not encourage him to lean over a basin in order that his pinafore shall escape unsoiled. Lay him on his back at once, and bathe between the eyes with cold water. Very hot water stanches blood even more quickly than does cold. Use of it also allays inflammation in any bad wound. If a neglected cut on Kitty's hand becomes red and painful, try substituting hot for cold water. It often works wonders. Never bandage a cut too tightly. A wounded finger generally swells a bit before healing, and much agony can he caused by too light a ligature. Suffering is also caused by changing a bandage too often. The old wife's method of tying up a cut in its own blood was a partly scientific one. If well cleansed before binding, it may well be left two or three days without Interference. Then a clean rag may be placed in position, and all that is required has been done.

We are indebted to Philip and Flavia Stainer, who donated the original copy of The Stalbridge Magazine 1902 - 1905. We hope you enjoy reading these extracts. Look out on the homepage soon for more pearls of wisdom from Mrs. Orman Cooper...