Salt Lake Telegram | 1936-10-07 | Page 6 | You and Your Health

You and Your Health I FISHBEIN By MORRIS Editor Journal of th the th American Medical Association and end of Hygeia Hygia fh the th Health Magazin At any season of ot the year but particularly In summer J children may Injure themselves with air guns slingshots or small rifles These devices are especially dangerous to the eye Medical literature contains numerous rec records of ot children who have havo lost their eyes because of ot a blow by I BB shot or because BB shot entered entered entered en- en the eyeball By use of the X-ray X it Is possible possible possible pos pos- sible to learn whether any metal has entered the eye If It the foreign foreign foreign for for- eign material is clean in the sense that It is free from germs and if it is in a part part part-of of the eye In which it does not obstruct vision it may maybe maybe maybe be left there for a considerable time without removal Usually however Inflammation promptly results when a foreign substance has entered the eye and the only thing to do is to re remove remove re- re remove move the particle by surgical opI op op- op- op I The explosion of gunpowder or of ot fireworks including particularly particular particular- ly firecrackers torpedoes and bombs may damage the skin seriously seriously seri serl- and occasionally cause some foreign substance to penetrate the body cavities Whenever an injury from fireworks fireworks fireworks fire fire- works or gunpowder occurs get a doctor as soon as possible He will examine the wound clean it treat it with suitable antiseptics and determine whether it is necessary necessary necessary essary to inject antitoxin against lockjaw to prevent that disease It i is no not wise to wait until lock lock- jaw develops arter after that disease has once developed it causes death in a considerable number of ot cases The possibility of ot lockjaw is so great that many health departments departments de de- de- de provide antitoxin without without without with with- out charge for injection into people people peo pea pie who have been exposed to the danger In certain c cases ses the explosion of gunpowder causes black specks to penetrate the skin and leaves a scar when the black material becomes imbedded in the skin This scar is difficult to remove If It immediate attention is given to such wounds the gunpowder may be removed and the scarring prevented If however there is too great greata a delay it may be necessary to use various caustic substances to peel off the skin In other cases it even may be necessary to re remove remove re- re remove move the scarred tissue by a surgical surgical surgical sur sur- sur- sur operation and to graft new skin over the surface Remember that all first aid is essentially amateurish and that early expert attention will in most cases prevent permanently harmful harm harm- harmful ful results