THE HIKERS
THE assistant nurse had very little time for the next lesson in the
boys’ class, so she gave them only notes in the morning, promising the
practice games at four o’clock in the afternoon. After telling them of
this plan, she began the lesson.
“Probably you boys have never thought of the fact that the little
pipes and larger tubes which carry the blood may be broken _under_
the skin,” Miss Helpem said. “When the blood gathers in dark purplish
spots underneath the unbroken skin, you have what is called a bruise or
contusion.
BRUISES (CONTUSIONS)
(_See Reference List_)
“Black and blue” spots which result from bleeding under
the skin are caused by falls or blows, or pinching (as
in door or window).
_Treatment:_
Apply cold water or ice wrapped in a cloth, or an ice
bag, or bathe with half water and half alcohol, or
witch hazel, or arnica.
If an arm or finger, hold up over the head.
If severe, after the pain and swelling have lessened,
use hot applications, wringing cloths out of hot water,
changing them as they cool, or use a hot-water bag.
For “black eye,” bathe with ice-cold water, or use
cloths wrung out of water as hot as can be borne.
Massage gently for discoloration.
NOTE.—Never open a blood blister—apply hot water.
SPRAINS
(_See Reference List_)
should be treated as soon as possible by a physician,
but while waiting for the doctor, use _cold_ water
applications. If cold water does not relieve the pain
in an hour’s time, try hot water.
Do not attempt to use the sprained joint.
STINGS AND BITES OF INSECTS
(_See Reference List_)
For stings of bees and bites of spiders, apply any of
the following list:
Mud.
Slice of onion.
Household ammonia.
Paste made of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
Spirit of camphor.
Miss Helpem paused. “While we are thinking about insects,” she said, “I
wish to speak of—
THE FILTHY FLIES
If you could look at the bottom of a fly’s foot under the microscope,
you would see thousands of the most disgusting germs, particularly of
the dreaded typhoid fever.
Please remember that it is far more important to prevent disease than
to cure—so do all that you can to keep flies out of the house, out of
food, off the baby’s bottle and body. Just looking at this picture
shows you a little of what must go into baby’s mouth after the fly
has stolen a bit of baby’s breakfast. How many of you promise to do
everything you can to reduce the number of flies in this beautiful
country of ours—by destroying them and by removing their breeding
places, which are in _manure_ piles?”
Every boy’s hand shot up.
“Thank you,” smiled the assistant nurse. “I can see that the boys of
this class are to be real soldiers of health for this entire community.”
[Illustration: KEEP FLIES OUT OF FOOD. OFF THE BABY’S BOTTLE]
“Please, Miss Helpem,” said Ibee Brave, “there are two more animals I
would like to learn something about. One is the mosquito, and the other
is fleas.”
The boys laughed.
“Not animals, Ibee; insects,” corrected Miss Helpem. “We will not have
time to speak at length of the mosquito, for that would make a whole
lesson in itself, but I do want to say that mosquitoes are the cause
of some of our worst diseases, for they carry disease germs from one
person’s blood into another’s. To destroy them, kerosene oil should be
sprayed or sprinkled or poured on the surface of any stagnant water;
for mosquito babies (wigglers) live in stagnant (standing) water.
Please remember this: one old tin tomato can half full of water will be
an ample amount to supply a whole neighborhood with young mosquitoes in
a short time, so overturn any old tins you see, just to help in a good
cause.”
“Now, Ibee,” she continued, after a slight pause, “I will tell you
HOW TO RID A HOUSE OF FLEAS
Dust naphtha flakes[F] all over the floors. Leave
twenty-four hours, if possible, then sweep up and
sprinkle the sweepings with kerosene to destroy the
eggs before throwing away.
“I say, fellows,” sang out Ibee Brave, after the class was dismissed,
“let’s go on a hike like any good scouts. Gee, I wish I were twelve
years old, so I could be a boy scout!”
“We treat you just as if you were one. Let’s go over to the river
bank,” suggested their patrol leader. At the signal, off they started
over the hills of the sand-pile of Mary Frances’ playroom, coming at
length to Painted River and Looking Glass Lake, on which floated the
toy ducks and swans which Mary Frances’ little friend Eleanor had
given her for a Christmas present.
When they re-assembled at four o’clock, the assistant nurse was
surprised at their appearance, for several swollen faces were plastered
in blotches of mud.
[Illustration: “YOU MUST HAVE HAD GOOD TREATMENT”]
“We don’t need any practice games,” commented one of the boys.
“We have had real practical practice,” explained their leader.
“I should judge you had,” said Miss Helpem, looking over the group. “Do
tell me what happened.”
“When we left here, we started on a hike to the river,” went on the
leader, “and after we had rested a little while, we began a game of
baseball. Tom Holden was catcher, and somehow when he leaned over to
fasten his shoe, bang! the ball went into his eye—an accident, of
course.”
[Illustration: “I HELD MY FINGER IN IT”]
“At first I thought it had put my eye out,” said Tom, “but the fellows
used ‘first aid’ immediately.”
“I never saw a ‘black eye’ look better,” praised the assistant nurse.
“You must have had good treatment.”
“Next,” continued the leader, “I raised a blood blister on my finger,
splitting kindling wood for a camp fire. The fellows made some water
hot on the fire, and I held my finger in it—but if it hadn’t been that
we were ‘first aiders,’ I wouldn’t have noticed a little thing like
that.”
“And last of all,” said Ibee Brave, “I stepped into a hornets’ nest!”
“I can imagine the rest of the story,” smiled Miss Helpem. “And I can
understand why you haven’t clean faces!”
“But you can’t imagine how grand it was to know ‘what to do,’”
protested Ibee Brave through swollen lips.
“Well, boys,” said the assistant nurse, “after this day’s happenings,
I think we will not need any practice games. I’m very glad nothing
really serious occurred, and that your first-aid knowledge prevented
suffering.”
“Say, Miss Helpem, you wouldn’t mind not saying anything to the other
class about the things that happened, would you? We might just pass it
off without much explanation, you know.”
“I promise secrecy!” laughed the assistant nurse.
FOOTNOTES:
[F] May be bought at drug store, or large department store.