Threadscoring, and Treatment
Threadscoring, and TreatmentThreadscores are not cuts, or burns, they're more comparable to being as agressive as acid. Dragonriders have the best defense against the spread of thread within their body by going *between* to freeze and kill the thread, but ocassionally in cases of deeper threadscore it will not kill all of the thread. Thread can kill a herdbeast in approximately two minutes, so haste is pertinent. This is when the dragonrider should return at that point, immediately to the infirmary for attention to be given. All healers should remember to wash their hands, tools and needles in redwort before use for hygiene. When healers preform stitching they need to remember to rinse their hands often in redwort before touching numbweed else their hands will go numb and will not be able to preform their work.
One thing to keep in mind, is that if the rider's lifemate is threadscored as well -- the rider's priority is to comfort and control their dragon while their wounds are tended. Dragons will panic if left to their own devices without their rider to control them.
Start by using redwort to flush out the area of remaining thread and any dirt or other particles. If pain is a problem, rinse the wound well with water to remove the redwort used to disinfect the area and apply numbweed sparingly. Appropriate use of redwort can provide a barrier between the numbweed and the wound itself. If the rider can tolerate the pain avoid using any sort of poltice to the wound as threadscore heals better when openly exposed to air. But, as an alternative a couple drops of fellis distributed in wine can be used for initial pain, while meadowsweet tea can be used as a minor painkiller for after the scoring is treated. Mosstea can be used to prevent infection, and the rider should continually check the wound for signs of infection and return to the infirmary if it grows angry red or puss is visible. Oil of hyssop can be used once the scoring is pinked over and mostly healed.
For more serious cases of threadscoring, immediate action must be taken -- thread is a merciless parasite, eating through flesh and bone quickly. If any thread is suspected to be left behind after a rider goes *between*, the healer must act quickly. If the skin is eaten through and the bone affected, it is quite possible that an amputation may be preformed to stop a full body infestation as thread multiplies quickly once it reaches the bones. To kill any remaining thread within flesh, the healer must quickly to open the would and flush the area with water to kill the thread. Yarrow leaves can be used in conjunction with a tincture of witchhazel to stop minor bleeding, comfrey used to combat infection. Poultices can be used to assist keeping the stitched wound from becoming infected but should be left off whenever possible to speed healing. A light dosage of fellis mixed with wine can be used for a couple days, until the patient can be transitioned over to the same treatment as minor threadscores. After cases of major threadscoring has healed, it is up to the discretion of the healer along with the wingleader to allow the rider to return to their wings.
Infections can, and do happen, should any sign of infection start to show (redness, puffiness, pus, severe itching), a cornsilk poltice can be used to draw the pus from the wound, and treated with mosstea poultices as comfrey can scar. A poltice should be applied once daily until the infection is gone. Patients may be encouraged to drink tea of comfrey and thymus to fight off the infection.
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Written by Journeyman Zerrin, SouCon MUSH
Emblems are copyright of Anne McCaffrey and drawn by Merryweather.