Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

there. Impalement injuries may occur when a per- son falls into a stationary object such as a fence rail or tree branch. Nail gu ...

Change the bandage daily or when it gets wet, applying free antibiotic ointment with each bandage change. Continue to treat the ...

See also BODY SUBSTANCE ISOLATION; GUNSHOT WOUNDS; IMPALEMENT; NECROTIZING FASCIITIS; PATHOGEN; SITE AND SITUATION ASSESSMENT; S ...

Drowning More than 4,000 Americans die from drowning each year. About 15,000 are revived and survive. The most common causes of ...

MONARY RESUSCITATION(CPR) may be necessary when the person is brought to shore or the pool’s edge. Follow-through Emergency medi ...

has training in water rescues. RESCUE BREATHINGor CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION(CPR) may be nec- essary when the person is broug ...

Cardiac Arrest Cardiac arrest—any circumstance in which the HEARTstops beating—is immediately life-threaten- ing. The BRAINcan s ...

See also COLD WATER DROWNING; RESCUE BREATH- ING; RESPONDER SAFETY AND PERSONAL PROTECTION; SITE AND SITUATION ASSESSMENT; SYMPT ...

Grab the fist with the other hand and give a sharp pull inward and upward. For an infant or small child, hold the infant in a s ...

Heat and Cold Injuries Heat and cold injuries most often occur in response to environmental exposure to extremes in temperature. ...

severe muscle cramps, and SHOCK. Severe dehydra- tion requires urgent treatment from a hospital emergency department or trauma c ...

Organ systems, especially the cardiovascular and neurologic, become exceedingly fragile. The risk for life-threatening ARRHYTHMI ...

Major Trauma Major trauma is a circumstance of a single cata- strophic injury, such as GUNSHOT WOUNDSor BURNS, or multiple injur ...

the situation is safe, try to locate the entrance and exit wounds. The entrance wound is often small and is easy to overlook, es ...

Stop bleeding. Speak calmingly and comfortingly to those involved in the accident. Unless there is risk for fire or further in ...

cant injuries to the eye require urgent ophthalmo- logic care. See also ACCIDENTAL INJURIES; BLACK EYE; CONJUNC- TIVITIS; ENUCLE ...

Poisoning Many substances are toxic when used inappropri- ately or through accidental exposure. Personal protection and safety a ...

for up to a week, when the toxin begins to cause tissue necrosis (death) at the site of the bite. The sting of the C. sculpturat ...

Remove any clothing contaminated by the toxin. If the toxin is a dry powder, use gauze or a piece of fabric or a small brush to ...

lar, kidney, LIVER, or neurologic damage. Appropri- ate FIRST RESPONSEis often crucial. Site and situation assessment Determine, ...