Accidents happen. We do our best to be careful and prevent bad things from happening, but most of us will eventually find ourselves in a situation where we or someone else needs help. Everyone should know what to do if an accident were to happen. Learning about first aid is the best way to make sure that we will not have to feel that we could have done more. Here is some advice for dealing with common injuries:
Animal bites. If you are bitten by an animal, wash the wound with cold running water. Then see a doctor as soon as possible.
Burns. Cool the area of skin at once. Wash the area of skin under the cold tap for several minutes. Cover the wound with a loose bandage or a piece of dry clean cloth. See a doctor if a child has been burnt or if more than ten percent of the body has been burnt.
Cuts. For a simple cut, it is only necessary to wash the area of the cut, dry it and cover it with a piece of dry clean cloth. If a person is bleeding badly, you must try to stop the bleeding. If a person loses one third of his or her blood, he or she may die. Press a handkerchief onto the bleeding point and hold it there.
Poisoning. If you think that someone may have been poisoned, you should do the following. First, talk to the person to find out if he or she is conscious and breathing. If the person isn't breathing, clear the airway and try to get him or her to breathe. If the person is conscious and breathing, try to get him or her to spit out any poison that may still be in the mouth. Next, call for an ambulance. Search the room for any pills or bottles that may contain the poison. Send whatever you find to the hospital to help the doctor find out what kind of poison the person has swallowed.
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