Diseases of children, for nurses, including infant feeding, therapeutic measures employed in childhood, treatment for emergencies, prophylaxis, hygiene, and nursing . If left to itself, the purulent effusion may killby sepsis or it may perforate into the lung, the pus thenbeing coughed up and expectorated. It sometimesperforates into the surrounding organs or tissues, causinga local abscess. Diagnosis,—If there is any doubt as to the character ofthe fluid in the pleural cavity, this may be cleared up bypuncturing the cavity with an exploring needle; an ordinaryhypodermic syringe is used for th
Diseases of children, for nurses, including infant feeding, therapeutic measures employed in childhood, treatment for emergencies, prophylaxis, hygiene, and nursing . If left to itself, the purulent effusion may killby sepsis or it may perforate into the lung, the pus thenbeing coughed up and expectorated. It sometimesperforates into the surrounding organs or tissues, causinga local abscess. Diagnosis,—If there is any doubt as to the character ofthe fluid in the pleural cavity, this may be cleared up bypuncturing the cavity with an exploring needle; an ordinaryhypodermic syringe is used for this purpose. At the pointselected by the physician for puncturing, after the skinhas been rendered aseptic by scrubbing with tincture ofgreen soap and alcohol, a sterile needle attached to thesyringe is plunged through an interspace into the pleuralcavity and the syringe is slowly filled. The character of DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT 83 the effusion will at once be apparent, pus showing as acreamy-white fluid. At times the needle may not find pus,even when it is present. This may be on account of largeflakes of lymph obstructing the needle or because the. Fig. 21.— Apparatus for aspiration (Kerley). needle has penetrated too far and gone completelythrough the cavity. Care and repeated punctures willusually overcome this contingency. Treatment.—After it has been definitely decided thatthe case is one of empyema there are two procedureswhich the physician may follow. In the large numberof cases he will have the child operated upon. In a fewernumber of cases he will have the pleural cavity aspirated. Operation.—This consists in opening the pleural cav-ity, removing the pus, and draining. There are severalmethods employed. A simple incision or an incision 84 DISEASES OF CHILDREN FOR NURSES and the removal of a portion of one or more ribs forbetter drainage are the methods usually followed. Arubber tube is inserted into the cavity to insure perfectdrainage. Aspiration is
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectchildren, bookyear192
