These are of several kinds - e.g., incised, contused, lacerated, punctured - requiring each a modified treatment.

Incised Wounds

These are clean cuts or wounds, with smooth defined edges.

Contused wounds are wounds attended with bruising of the parts, such as seen in gunshot wounds.

Lacerated wounds are pretty much the same as bruised wounds - the edges are rough and jagged.

Punctured wounds are where the orifice of the cut is small but its extent deep, such as in stabs.

Treatment. Incised Wound

In the case of incised wound or clean cut, if not large in extent, it will heal readily by the edges being brought together by means of some simple unirritating plaster, such as "adhesive plaster," or "isinglass plaster," or goldbeaters skin.

It may be advisable to bring the edges of a wound together with stitches. The most convenient needle for this purpose is a glover's needle, and white silk is the best material for the sewing.

If the wound has been inflicted by broken glass, etc, the surfaces should be carefully searched for any fragments or foreign bodies before the edges are brought together.

If the bleeding be profuse, the wound should be left exposed to the air for a while, or the ordinary means used to stop the bleeding.

If the cut be a long one, there should be small intervals left between the strips of plaster, in order to allow blood or other fluids to escape. This strapping-plaster need not be removed for three or four days, unless there be pain and throbbing in the wound; in this case they should be loosened, or even removed, as these symptoms indicate inflammation. If it be necessary to remove the strapping before union has taken place, the wound should then be dressed with water and lint covered with oil-silk or gutta-percha.

Scalp Wounds

Cuts on the scalp should be carefully cleansed from hair, which should also be removed for about half an inch around the wound. If small the edges can be brought together with plaster. If the wound be large, it is better simply treated with cold water dressing. No stitches should be put in these wounds unless they are very ragged and gaping, as they are prone to excite erysipelas in this part of the skin.

Bruised, Contused, And Lacerated Wounds

In consequence of the tearing or bruising of the edges of a lacerated wound, the vitality of those parts is more or less impaired; hence these wounds do not heal as readily as a clean cut.

In treating a contused wound, the surface should first be carefully sponged clean of clotted blood, or foreign bodies of any kind, such as portions of clothing, small shot, etc.

The simple water dressing, or wet lint, covered with oil-silk, is the most suitable for this kind of injury. If the soft parts be much torn they may be bound down by a roller, and water dressing applied.

After a time, the surface of a wound of this kind becomes sluggish in its healing, and resembles an ulcer. It should then be treated with zinc ointment, or yellow basi-licon.

Stabs, or punctured wounds, require special treatment, varying with their depth, and the part in which they occur.

A slight wound of this sort, not penetrating deeply, may be dressed with isinglass plaster, adhesive plaster, or goldbeater's skin.

If, however, deeper, but not entering a cavity, the simple water dressing should be applied, and the part wounded be so placed that blood may escape freely. For this reason it is not advisable to endeavour to heal a punctured wound quickly.

If the bleeding from the wound does not stop from the exposure to cold, the wound may be plugged with lint or soft linen, soaked in tincture of perchloride of iron, diluted with an equal quantity of water, or with tincture of matico. The plugging may be allowed to remain in twelve hours. After its removal, if the bleeding be checked, dress as above directed with water.

A deeply punctured wound is prone to heal at the surface; this should be prevented by inserting a strip of lint between the lips of the wound, so as to allow of the escape of matter. The healing from the bottom is sometimes to be promoted by injecting with a weak solution of Condy's fluid (a teaspoonful to a pint of water.