PETROL IN FIRST-AID

Shannon News, 4 November 1927, Page 4

PETROL IN FIRST-AID

CLEANING AND ANTISEPTIC.

Writing in a recent issue of “The Medical Officer,” Dr. G. A. Stephens, M.D. (London), Senior Consulting Physician to the Cardigan Hospital, drew attention to the value of petrol as an antiseptic. He states that the constant use of petrol at the zinc smelting works in his district has been thoroughly justified. In these works petrol sprays are kept handy for use on burns or cuts. The petrol w'ashes out all grease and grease-held dirt, together with the half-burnt fats' and liquids of the patient himself. Except ether, nothing cleans the wound so well as a highgrade petrol, and both of these have the advantage of evaporating quickly, leaving a clean, dry wound which soon heals.

The doctor deplores the insistent use of water for cleaning, which, on account of its high surface tension cannot penetrate into the various crevices, while its inability to dissolve or remove grease is a real danger in itself.

In connection with all the accidents due to modeni motor traffic, the universality of petrol supply, together with its fairly low price, renders it a much more get-atable antiseptic than iodine, while tlie ease of application without any tendency to irritation, renders it of great service from a first-aid point of view. The majority of accidents are very small ones wli'ch tend to become septic unless treated at once. For these the doctor says, there is nothing like petrol. But it must be clean, highgrade stuff.