CHAP. XXII. How you must stop the bleeding, if any of the bound-up vessels chance to get loose.
THe business hitherto being performed as we said, if peradventure it happen that any ban∣dage of any of the vessels be unloosed, then must you again bind the member with that kind of Ligature which you did before the amputation thereof. Or else, which is better, more easie and less painful, let your servant take hold of the member with both his hands, pressing his fingers strait, stop the passage of the loosed vessell, for so he may stanch the bleeding. Then let the work-master take a needle some four fingers long, square, and having sharp edges, drawing after it a three or four doubled strong thred. With this let him bind the vessel after the following man∣ner. Let him thrust his needle on the outside into the flesh, some half fingers breadth from the loosed vessell untill he come to the end thereof, then let him put it about it, and bring it back a∣gain, but so that there be no more then the space of a fingers breadth between the going in, and coming forth of the needle. In this space let him put a linnen rag three or four times doubled, and thereupon bind somewhat strait the two ends of the thred together. For so he shall hinder the knot from hurting the flesh which lies under it in the bindings, and also add strength there∣to. For so the bound up orifice of the vessell will in short space be agglutinated to the adjoyning fresh, and that so firmly, that there hath never been seen any one drop of blood to have flowed from a vessell so bound up. But if the blood which flows forth proceed from any small vessell, you must not use this future and ligature, nor make any such great matter thereof; for it will quickly be stanched by the only application of Astringents, presently to be mentioned.