Area where there is no doctor

Where there is no doctor

  Where There Is No Doctor - A Village Health Care 

Chapter 10 - FIRST AID

Fever

Shock

Loss of Consciousness

When Something Gets Stuck in the Throat

Drowning

What to Do When Breathing Stops: Mouth-to-Mouth Breathing

Emergencies Caused by Heat

How to Control Bleeding from a Wound

How to Stop Nosebleeds

Cuts, Scrapes, and Small Wounds

Large Cuts: How to Close Them

Bandages

Infected Wounds: How to Recognize and Treat Them

Bullet, Knife, and Other Serious Wounds

Emergency Problems of the Gut (Acute Abdomen)

Appendicitis, Peritonitis

Burns

Broken Bones (Fractures)

How to Move a Badly Injured Person

Dislocations (Bones that Have Come Out of Place at a Joint)

Strains and Sprains (Bruising or Tearing in a Twisted Joint)

Poisoning

Snakebite

Other Poisonous Bites and Stings

       Poisoning

Many children die from swallowing things that are poisonous. To protect your children, take the following precautions:

Keep all poisons out of reach of children:

Never keep kerosene, gasoline, or other poisons in cola or soft drink bottles, because children may try to drink them.

SOME COMMON POISONS TO WATCH OUT FOR:

· rat poison
· DDT, lindane, sheep dip, and other insecticides or plant poisons
· medicine (any kind when much is swallowed; take special care with iron pills)
· tincture of iodine
· bleach
· cigarettes
· rubbing or wood alcohol
· poisonous leaves, seeds, berries, or mushrooms
· castor beans
· matches
· kerosene, paint thinner, gasoline, petrol, lighter fluid
· lye or caustic soda
· salt - if too much is given to babies and small children
· spoiled food

Treatment:

If you suspect poisoning, do the following immediately:

If the child is awake and alert, make him vomit. Put your finger in his throat or give him a tablespoon of syrup of ipecac followed by 1 glass of water. Or make him drink water with mild soap or salt in it (6 teaspoons salt to 1 cup water).

If you have it, give him a cup of activated charcoal, or a tablespoon of powdered charcoal, mixed into a cup of water, (For an adult, give 2 glasses of this mixture.)

    CAUTION:

    Do not make a person vomit if he has swallowed kerosene, gasoline (petrol), or strong acids or corrosive substances (lye), or if he is unconscious. If he is awake and alert, give him plenty of water or milk to dilute the poison. (For a child, give 1 glass of water every 15 minutes.)

Cover the person if he feels cold, but avoid too much heat.

 If poisoning is severe, look for medical help.