Manual of British Rural Sports by Stonehenge 17th Edition

TREATMENT OF ACCIDENTS IN TRAINING. 649 veryfew who require more than three pints,or at the outside two quarts of goodbeer per day, of the strength of jive bushels tothe hogshead ; and the average quantity required is certainly notmore than two pintsand a half per man. Allowance must of course be made for previous habits, and for strength or weakness of constitution, in the particular individual. In the early days of practice, and in the race itself, great distressometimes occurs; there is considerable bluenesa of the face from congestion, and the breathing is laboured and difficult. The best remedy for this state is a glass of warm brandy and water, and plenty of hard friction on the feet, legs,and thighs ;or, if it still persists, a warm bath at 98 degrees. CHAPTEK IV. TREATMENT OF ACCIDENTS OCCURRING IN TRAINING. BLISTERS OF THE HANDS AND FEET.— These troublesome little companions occureither on the hands fromrowing, or on the feet from walking—inboth caseswithout due preparation. They alsooccur in a still more troublesome situation, either from the thwart in rowing,or from the saddle in riding ; butin the latter case only inthe very rm and young equestrian. Should they arise on the hands, they should be pricked with a fine needle, if this can be done before they have burst. Theneedle should be inserted obliquely, andthe watery fluid contained in the blistershould then be pressedout; and this should be repeated assoon as the blister has filled a second or third time. In this way thecontact of the airis avoided, and in twodays the true skin becomes protected by a new cuticleor scarf-skin. If, unfortunately, theblister is broken, the best plan is to apply some collodion with a brush ; but it gives considerable pain, and seldom remains on more than six hours, after which time it requires renewal. If the pain of this is objected to, then apply either finely-carded (medicated) cotton in a thin layer under a kid glove, orfinely-powdered gum arable; but in either case the hands must be kept fromwater carefully until the expiration of twenty-four hours. If possible three days should elapse before the oar is again taken in hand ; but if the oars­ mancannot bespared, a^kidglove should he put on over the collodion. When •be feet are theseatof the mischief, there is the same necessity forthe preserva­ tion of the cuticle, and the needle shouldbe usedin thesame way; if, how­ ever, this protection is removed, apiece of fine kid should be spread with soap plaster, and applied over the skin, ex­ tending for at least half an inch beyond the blister in every direction. This treatment answers on the feet, while on the hands it is wholly useless, because the friction of the oar soon rubs off the plaster, while under the shoe it remains tolerably well and smoothly applied. Where the blister exists on the seat of honour, in consequence of the friction of the thwart, it is very difficult to manage, and I have seen hundreds of men with their flannel trousers extensively stained with blood from this cause. Collodion is the best remedy, but even that is of little use, and the only plan that I have ever known at alleffectual, is to wear a pair of tight wash-leather drawers, extend­ ing onlya few inchesdown the thighs. If these are made to fit very nicely, and are well oiled with neatsfoot oil they will affordastonishing relief,and enable a man with extensive " raws " to row in tolerable ease and comfort; they require, however, to be carefully cleaned and oiled each time they are worn, without which attention they are worse than useless. STRAINED OR RUPTURED MUSCLES.— In walking, and more especially in running and jumping, one or more small fibres of the muscular tissue are occasionally over-strained or absolutely ruptured. If the mischief is extensive, nothing but rest will allow of union and reparation, but very slight injuries may be rendered so bearable as to allow of exercise without prohibitory pain, by means of counter-irritants rubbed in externally and local pressure applied by means of a bandage. The object of