Burns & Scalds..!!

Marley Farley · Feb 9, 2008

:( I had a distress call from a little old lady who I help in my village this morning...!

She had somehow managed to pour boiling water down her legs..!!

I rushed down there to find her crumpled on the floor in a state of shock.
I laid her down, luckily she still had her night things on, so no tight clothes.
She was conscious thankfully, her legs gave way under her with the shock.
I could see she had a very nasty scald to one leg & a bit of her other foot. Her pulse was very fast but she said she felt OK. So I phoned for an ambulance... After that I cooled her burns a little with some water & covered them with cling film on her leg & foot, but I DIDN'T take her other slipper off as the burn looked like it had gone on inside it.
I made her as comfortable as I could & phoned her daughter. When the ambulance people arrived they told me she would have to go to hospital, but we already realised this. Her daughter arrived just in time to go with her. (I was so relieved about that.) The paramedics also told me I had done all the right things. Which I was also pleased about.

Her daughter just rang & said it is not too serious, but she will have to have some skin grafts. I will know more later.

I was amazed how calm I was!

Well Nathan I really do think a first aid thread would be good now...!!!

[ 24. February 2008, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Marley Farley ]

Marley Farley · Feb 9, 2008

I thought this might be helpful for some people.

BURNS & SCALDS

What causes them?

Scalds are the damage caused by contact with hot fluids.

The cause of a burn may be:

* Direct heat - flames, hot surfaces, hot liquids or gases
* Electrical - faulty wiring, old plugs, lightning
* Chemical - strong acids or alkalis, cleaning fluids, old batteries

What are the symptoms?

There may be obvious and immediate damage to the skin, which can be very painful.

With partial thickness burns, the skin may be pink, red or mottled. Blistering may also be seen.

With full thickness burns, the top layer of skin is destroyed and may look white or black, and charred. Full thickness burns are painless, as the nerves carrying pain signals have been destroyed.
Who's affected?

Burns are common among young children. Scalds are particularly common among toddlers, who are energetic explorers with little sense of potential danger - knocking over hot cups of tea, grabbing at pans on the cooker or getting into hot baths.
What's the treatment?

Cool small burns immediately under cold running water for at least ten minutes. Rinse chemical burns for 20 minutes.

Briefly rinse larger burns, avoiding excessive cooling.

Remove clothes in the area of the burn where possible, without causing further damage to the skin. Then either wrap the burned area in a clean clear plastic bag or place a clean smooth material, such as cling film, over the burn to prevent infection.

Minor burns can be treated at home with painkillers and sterile dressings (don't pop blisters). Deep or extensive burns, or burns to the face, hands or across joints, need to be assessed and treated in hospital.

The extent of burns can be estimated using special charts. More than ten per cent burns need hospital treatment (including intravenous fluids). Burns to more than 50 per cent of the body's surface carry a poor chance of survival.

Severe burns need specialised long-term management, which may include skin grafts or treatments to prevent contractures, as well as psychological support to deal with scarring.
Click to expand...

And for Shoch

Causes of Shock

Shock can develop when the heart pump fails to work properly, causing a reduction in the pressure of the circulating blood. The most common cause of this type of shock is a heart attack.

Shock can develop as a result of a reduction in the volume of fluid circulating around the body. The most common examples of this are external or internal bleeding, or loss of other bodily fluids through severe diarrhoea, vomiting, or burns. The blood supply is diverted from the surface to the core of the body. The main symptoms and signs of shock relate to such redistribution of the circulation.

Recognition of Shock

Initially, a flow of adrenaline causes:

* A rapid pulse.
* Pale, grey skin, especially inside the lips. If pressure is applied to a fingernail or earlobe, it will not regain its colour immediately.
* Sweating, and cold, clammy skin (sweat does not evaporate).

As shock develops, there may be:

* Weakness and giddiness.
* Nausea, and sometimes vomiting.
* Thirst.
* Rapid, shallow breathing.
* A weak, Ã¢â?¬Ë?threadyÃ¢â?¬â?¢ pulse. When the pulse at the wrist disappears, fluid loss may equal half the blood volume.

As the oxygen supply to the brain weakens:

* The casualty may become restless, anxious and aggressive.
* The casualty may yawn and gasp for air (Ã¢â?¬Ë?air hungerÃ¢â?¬â?¢).
* The casualty will eventually become unconscious.
* Finally, the heart will stop.

Treatment of Shock

DO NOT let the casualty move unnecessarily, eat, drink, or smoke.

DO NOT leave the casualty unattended. Reassure the casualty constantly.

* Treat any cause of shock which can be remedied (such as external bleeding).
* Lay the casualty down, keeping the head low.
* Raise and support the casualtyÃ¢â?¬â?¢s legs (be careful if suspecting a fracture).
* Loosen tight clothing, braces, straps or belts, in order to reduce constriction at the neck, chest and waist.
* Insulate the casualty from cold, both above and below. Contact the emergency service.
* Check and record breathing, pulse and level of response. Be prepared to resuscitate the casualty if necessary
Click to expand...

disclaimer... I have to say, that advice given on the entire thread is given only in a general way and neither the webmaster nor any member of the forum can accept any responsibility if mistaken advice is given in good faith or if advice is misinterpreted by any person. Thanks Marley.

[ 24. February 2008, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: Marley Farley ]

Paladin · Feb 9, 2008

Calm,Cool and Collected...Wouldn't have expected anything less from you Marley. Thank goodness you made yourself available to this Lady should she need help. Well done my friend,give yourself a pat on the back.
Mrs Pal joins me in saying "You are a Star"

rosa · Feb 9, 2008

well marley i say well done, pleased that lady had you and that she is ok. I certainly wouldnt of known what to do in those circumstances and a first aid thread would be a great idea, i,m certainly in favour of that.

Marley Farley · Feb 9, 2008

Feel all embarrassed now..! :D
I am thankful she called me. She is a very alert lady, always has her phone on her.! Just the body failing her.

While I was running down there I was thinking crikey what do I do. What will I find! Etc etc..

Once in there never gave it another thought, just got on with it! Thankfully!

Dave W · Feb 9, 2008

Brill' Marley - well done. That's your good deed for this week!
The basic knowledge and a head cool enough to apply it properly

walnut · Feb 10, 2008

Well done Marley

PeterS · Feb 10, 2008

Well done Marley. I can remember when I was young that the treatment was said to be to put butter on and not to put it under the tap. I could never understand that. If I ever burnt my hand my first reaction was to put it under a running cold tap to remove the heat.

Sarraceniac · Feb 10, 2008

I think you are mis-remembering Peter. 50 years ago, butter was for bruises, not burns.

Marley Farley · Feb 10, 2008

:D Well done John.. We need someone to keep an eye on us to make sure we are using the right remedies...! :D Although, it does ring a distant bell Peter, about the butter...

Kedi-Gato · Feb 10, 2008

Same here about the butter. I can't remember what we did for bruises, if anything.

What was the dock leaf for?

borrowers · Feb 10, 2008

Dock leaves were for nettle stings weren't they?

Cheers

Sarraceniac · Feb 10, 2008

Still are borrowers. They contain an alkali which is effective against formic acid. Which ants also have in their bite. That is quite useful for adult gardeners who are not so prone to nettles but ants can be horrid. Children of course can react with a rash to nettles as well. So if your kids or grandkids are near nettles keep some dock handy. If you want some in summer just PM me. I can send you plenty. :D

PeterS · Feb 10, 2008

John - I am sure you are right. I can't remember if I can remember or not. :D

Paladin · Feb 10, 2008

Nettles!..At the tender age of 11,I remember our neighbour jabbing my hand time and time again into a nettle patch, because I had an infection in it from a thorn.(ended up having three operations to save my hand because of the thorn)...
As I toddled up to mum in rivers of tears and an arm twice the size,he told her that the way to treat my hand was to kill poison with poison. Dear mum...she whacked the c**p out him with the clothes line!!!Be careful of old wives tales.. :D

Log in or Sign up

Burns & Scalds..!!

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Paladin Gardening...A work of Heart

rosa Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Dave W Total Gardener

walnut Gardener

PeterS Total Gardener

Sarraceniac Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Kedi-Gato Gardener

borrowers Gardener

Sarraceniac Gardener

PeterS Total Gardener

Paladin Gardening...A work of Heart

Cow Parsley/Parsnip sap burns?

Happy Birthday Robert Burns, January 25

Burns Supper.

Pete Burns Rip...

Robbie Burns

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Burns & Scalds..!!

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Paladin Gardening...A work of Heart

rosa Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Dave W Total Gardener

walnut Gardener

PeterS Total Gardener

Sarraceniac Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Kedi-Gato Gardener

borrowers Gardener

Sarraceniac Gardener

PeterS Total Gardener

Paladin Gardening...A work of Heart

Cow Parsley/Parsnip sap burns?

Happy Birthday Robert Burns, January 25

Burns Supper.

Pete Burns Rip...

Robbie Burns

Share This Page

Useful Searches