Deacon wrote:

> On Sat, 12 Jun 2004 12:21:43 -0400, "Bob (this one)"
> > wrote:
>=20
>> Working in professional kitchens means frequent burns. The trauma
>> unit of a local hospital had their X-mas banquet in my place one
>> year. I spilled hot oil (fondue pot - 365=B0F) on my hand in the
>> room where they were. One of them immediately pushed my hand into
>> a big pitcher of iced tea and walked me back to the kitchen that
>> way. Hand got numb pretty quickly. Tea was all down the front of
>> my pants and that cost me a lot of razzing over the next week or
>> so.
>>=20
>> Back in the kitchen, a nurse put a fair amount of ice into a
>> plastic bag, put a little water in it and put my hand into it.
>> Closed it around my wrist and told me to keep it that way for 4
>> hours, replenishing the ice as needed to keep it all very cold.
>> Said to take the hand out for about 5 minutes (or until the pain
>> got to be too much) every 15 minutes or so for circulation.
>>=20
>> Did what she told me. No blisters, no sloughing off of skin. A
>> little redness that disappeared in about 24 hours.
>>=20
>> The burn was fairly extensive and would have been serious had
>> they not acted as quickly as they did. After that, our standard
>> kitchen treatment was cold. Ice first then water as needed. Our
>> incidence of serious injury diminished drastically.



> Bob, how long ago did this occur? I can definitely tell you that=20
> keeping a body part on ice for four hours is not taught anymore for
> burn treatment. Cold water until the burning sensation subsides

About 10 years ago. I wasn't taught anything about burn treatment, I=20
saw that this thing worked, so I did it.

I don't mean this to sound as brusque as it seems, but I can tell you=20
that being burned is an excruciating pain and anything that stops it=20
is fine with me.

I kept the hand cold until it didn't hurt anymore; not always in ice.=20
First, ice, then ice water and then cold tap water. Then, when it=20
didn't hurt any more, I stopped.

> is all you need, don't use ice as it can cause further tissue
> death.

I guess I didn't understand the potential for that, but at that time,=20
I didn't care if I lost some tissue as long as I didn't have to endure=20
the pain. She told me to keep it cold but to give it a breather every=20
few minutes. That's when I could find out if it was still painful.=20
While it was hurting, I kept it cold. After it wasn't, I stopped.

That hot oil on the back of my hand was astoundingly painful; it=20
literally hurt so badly that I couldn't breathe or talk for a while.=20
Found myself trembling as the shock began to wear off; not from the=20
cold on my hand. The burn covered the area between my wrist and the=20
beginning of my fingers, side to side; a good 4 inches by 4 inches=20
splashed with hot oil.

I kept it cold until it didn't hurt anymore and unless there's a=20
better way to deal with it, would do exactly the same today. I just=20
wanted that literally searing pain to stop. I've had some very serious=20
injuries in my life, but nothing hurt as bad as that burn.

> Burn treatment has evolved quite a bit in the last few years....

What's suggested nowadays? It's not a subject I keep up on. Probably=20
ought to look into it.

Pastorio