HEMORRHAGE AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING BLEEDING Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Recall the procedures used to control external bleeding. Blood is circulated throughout the body by three different kinds of blood vessels. 1.  Arteries, which are large vessels that carry the blood away from the heart 2.  Veins, which are large vessels that carry the blood back to the heart 3.  Capillaries, which form a connecting network of smaller vessels between the arteries and the veins Hemorrhage (escape of blood) occurs whenever there is a break in the wall of one or more blood vessels. In most small cuts, only capillaries are injured. Deeper wounds result in injury to veins or arteries. Bleeding severe enough to endanger life seldom occurs  except when arteries or veins are cut. The average adult body contains about 5 quarts (4.75 liters) of blood. One pint of blood can usually be lost without harmful effect—in fact, that’s the amount usually given by blood donors. However, the loss of 2 pints (0.95 liter) will usually cause shock, and shock becomes greater as the amount of blood loss increases. (Shock will be discussed later in this chapter.) If half the blood in the body is lost, death almost always results. Capillary blood is usually brick red in color. If capillaries are cut, the blood oozes out slowly. Blood from the veins is dark red. If a vein is cut, the blood escapes in a steady, even flow. If an artery near the surface is cut, the blood will gush out in spurts that are synchronized with the heartbeats; but if the cut artery is deeply buried, the bleeding will appear to be a steady stream. Arterial blood is usually bright red in color. In actual practice, you might find it difficult to decide whether bleeding was from a vein or an artery; but the distinction is not usually important. A person can bleed to death quickly from a cut artery; prolonged bleeding from any large cut can, of course, have the same effect. The important thing to know is that   all bleeding must be controlled as quickly as possible. The only way to stop serious bleeding is by the application of pressure. In practically all cases, bleeding can be stopped if  pressure  is applied  directly to the wound. If direct pressure doesn’t stop the bleeding, pressure should be applied at the appropriate pressure point. In those very rare cases where bleeding is so severe that it cannot be controlled by either of these methods, pressure can be applied by a tight constricting band. The actual procedures you should use to stop bleeding are shown in chart on pages 14-10 and 14-11. CAUTION Never put on a constricting band unless the hemorrhage  is  so  severe  that  it  cannot  be controlled in any other way. Once a constricting band has been applied, it should be released only by medical personnel. BATTLE DRESSINGS Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Recall  the  procedures  used  to  apply  battle dressings. A battle dressing is a combination compress and bandage, in which a sterile gauze pad is fastened to a gauze, muslin, or adhesive bandage. Most Navy first-aid kits contain both large and small battle dressings. Battle dressings are also supplied at battle dressing stations located throughout the ship. Any part of a dressing that is to come into direct contact with a wound should be absolutely  sterile.  The  dressing  you  find  in  Navy first-aid kits have been sterilized. Never touch a battle dressing  with  your  fingers,  clothing,  or  any  other unsterile object. When applying a battle dressing, make sure the dressing is the proper size so that it covers the wound completely.  Some  wounds,  such  as  protruding abdominal  wounds,  require  the  dressing  to  be moistened in sterile water. Battle dressing should be applied so it doesn’t allow the dressing to move or slip 14-9 Student Notes: