Dr. Cheever's Lecture.

Dr. Cheever lectured last evening in Sanders' Theatre before a large audiency, on the subject of "First aid in cases of fractures, dislocating, and bandaging." The patient suffers as much in accidents from the sympathy and officiousness of the by-standers, as he does from the injury itself. We should do too little rather than too much. If we drop a watch, we take it to the watch-maker for repair, and to him alone. So in case of bodily injuries, we should rely on the surgeon alone.

There are two kinds of unconsciousness, faintness and the stunned state. In the former the action of the heart is checked, so that the brain is cut off from its supply of blood. In the latter, the cause of unconsciousness is concussion or vibration of the brain. It is a mistake to elevate the head or pour liquid down the throat in faintness; the middle of the body, on the contrary, should be elevated. The main thing to do in cases of stunning is to keep the patient at rest, and aid the breathing. Here also, no fluid should be given; especially are ammonia and alcoholic stimulants dangerous. The application of external warmth is excellent. Sprains and bruises are smaller injuries. A part that is sprained should not be used for an instant. In fractures, great care must be taken that the broken edge of bone shall not protrude through the skin. In all such cases, no regard should be paid to clothing; it should be cut off immediately, and not taken off. An injured arm must be both slung and tied firmly to the chest. In fractures, a joint is made; in dislocations, a joint is taken away. This affords a rough diagnosis. splints are used to prevent movement in the joints. Burns and frost-bites are very serious. In the former, the clothing must be lifted off most carefully, and flour or grease should be spread over the burn, to protect it from the cool air. In conclusion, dislocated bones must never be set, unless the patient can be put under the influence of ether.