As a general observation, it may be stated that a wound made with a sharp cutting instrument (a mere incision) is attended with less hazard of dangerous consequences than any other kind of wound whatsoever. The fibres have only been simply divided, they have suffered no contusion, nor laceration, consequently they are less likely to inflame severely or to suppurate or slough, while they commonly admit of being united again in a very expeditious manner. Generally, however, simple incised Wounds bleed more freely than contused and lacerated ones.

In a recent simple incised wound there are three objects which we should endeavour to accomplish without the least delay. The first, and that which requires our immediate interference, is the bleeding, which must be checked. The second is the removal of all extraneous or foreign bodies from the wound. The third is the reunion of the opposite sides of the injury. When the divided vessels are not above a certain size the bleeding soon spontaneously ceases, and no surgical measures need be taken on this particular account.

When the wounded vessels are somewhat larger, and their situation is favourable for compression with a bandage, it is often advisable to close the wound and apply such compression rather than have recourse to a ligature, which always creates a certain amount of irritation and suppuration. However, although I make this observation, I should be exceedingly sorry to appear at all against the general preference to ligatures, whenever the wounded arteries are above a certain magnitude. In this circumstance, tying the bleeding vessels is the only safe mode of proceeding if the artery is of considerable size, and its mouth can be readily seen; the proper instrument for taking hold of it is a pair of forceps.

The bleeding having now been suppressed, the next object is to remove any extraneous matter, such as gravel, bits of grass, clots of blood, and clay from the wound; were this neglected the plan of uniting the opposite sides of the cut by the adhesive inflammation, or by what is more frequently termed union of the first intention, would generally fail, and abscesses follow; or if there were union, it would only confine the foreign bodies, which would keep up pain in the part, and interfere with its functions. These foreign bodies, if allowed to remain, often produce such consequences, and if not extracted at first they sometimes become difficult to find and remove at a later period.

When attention has been paid to the foregoing indications, we must now put the lips of the wound in contact, and employ measures to keep them in this state, until they have grown firmly together; this can be done by means of adhesive plaster cut into strips, or by sutures, or by the employment of bandages.

When attention is paid to these rules, it often happens that the two opposite surfaces of the wound grow together in the course of forty-eight or sixty hours without any degree of suppuration. The process by which this desirable event is accomplished is well known by the name of union by the first intention. Now besides the advantage of the cure being effected in this way with the greatest possible expedition, there is another consideration highly in favour of constantly promoting this method of healing wounds, which is that the scar is much less than after any other mode of recovery, and the part is covered with original skin, which is always stronger than any which can be formed as a substitute for it.