o disturb the
patient as little as possible.

Don't touch a wound with your fingers or a handkerchief, or with
anything else but the first-aid dressing. Don't wash the wound
with water, as you may infect it.

Don't administer stimulants (whisky, brandy, wine, etc.) unless
ordered to do so by a doctor. While in a few cases stimulants
are of benefit, in a great many cases they do positive harm,
especially where there has been any bleeding.

The heart may be considered as a pump and the arteries as a rubber
hose, which carry the blood from the heart to every part of the
body. The veins are the hose which carry the blood back to the
heart. Every wound bleeds some, but, unless a large artery or
a large vein is cut, the bleeding will stop after a short while
if the patient is kept quiet and the first-aid dressing is bound
over the wound so as to make pressure on it.

[Illustration: FIG. 2.]

When a large artery is cut the blood gushes out in spurts every
time the heart beats. In this case it is necessary to stop the
flow of blood by pressing upon the hose somewhere between the
heart and the leak.

If the leak is in the arm or hand, apply pressure as in figure
1.

If the leak is in the leg, apply pressure as in figure 2.

If the leak is in the shoulder or armpit, apply pressure as in
figure 3.

The reason for this is that at the places indicated the arteries
may be pressed against a bone more easily than at any other places.

Another way of applying pressure (by means of a tourniquet) is
shown in figure 4. Place a pad of tightly rolled cloth or paper,
or any suitable object, over the artery. Tie a bandage loosely
about the limb and then insert your bayonet, or a stick, and
twist up the bandage until the pressure of the pad on the artery
stops the leak. Twist the bandage slowly and stop as soon as
the blood ceases to flow, in order not to bruise the flesh or
muscles unnecessarily.

[Illustration: FIG. 3.]

A tourniquet may cause pain and swelling of the limb, and it
left on too long may cause the limb to die. Therefore, about
every half hour or so, loosen the bandage very carefully, but if
the bleeding continues pressure must be applied again. In this
case apply the pressure with the thumb for five or ten minutes,
as this cuts off only the main artery and leaves some of the
smaller arteries and the veins free to restore some of the
circulation. When a tourniquet is painful, it is too tight and
should be care