to form around the dead
part in a few days, and the dead tissue comes away later, to be
followed by a long course of suppuration, pain, excessive granulations
("proud flesh"), and, unless skillfully treated, by contraction of the
surrounding area, leaving ugly scars and interfering with the
appearance and usefulness of the parts. The treatment of such cases
after the first care becomes that to be pursued in wounds generally
(p. 50), and belongs within the domain of the surgeon.

=Treatment of the More Severe Burns.=--If the patient is suffering
from shock he should receive some hot alcoholic drink, as hot water
and whisky, and be put to bed under warm coverings with hot-water bags
or bottles at his feet.

The clothing must be cut away from the burned parts with the greatest
care, and only a portion of the body should be uncovered at a time and
in a warm room. Pain may be subdued by laudanum[10]; fifteen drops may
be given to an adult, and the drug may be repeated at hour intervals
in doses of ten drops until the suffering has been allayed. Lumps of
ice held in the mouth will quench thirst, and the diet should be
liquid, as milk, soups, gruels, white of egg, and water. The bowels
should be moved daily by rectal injections of soap and warm water. As
a matter of local treatment, the surface layer of the skin should be
kept intact if possible. Blisters are not to be disturbed unless they
are large and tense; if so, their bases may be pricked with a needle
sufficiently to let out the fluid contents.

Carron oil (equal parts of olive oil and limewater) has been the
common remedy for burns, and it is an efficient, though very dirty,
dressing, useful if the skin is generally unbroken. It should be
applied on clean, soft linen or cotton cloth, which is soaked in the
oil, laid over the burned area, and covered with a thick layer of
cotton batting and a bandage. When the skin is denuded, leaving a raw
surface exposed, the burn must be treated on the same plan as wounds,
and should be kept as clean and free from germs as possible. An
ointment made of equal parts of boric acid and vaseline, spread
thickly on clean cloth, is a good antiseptic preparation in cases
where the skin is broken. It is best not to change the dressing
oftener than once in two or three days, unless the discharge or odor
are considerable. Fresh dressing is very painful and often harmful.

When the dressing is removed, warm saline solution (one teaspoonful o