----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Thompson" <oldmillrat@m...>
>I am curious to know just how  Super Glue, aka CA glue, works to close a 
>wound. Maybe I am using the wrong variety. When I have tried closing a 
>wound with CA glue, it took like forever to harden. I had the wound pinched 
>shut, and if the glue had hardened it would have been fine. But it is not 
>easy to hold a wound closed for a long time, and they leak, which 
>definitely defeats bonding. If the glue is thin, it runs and you glue both 
>hands together. Obviously, I don't know what I am doing.
>
> Are we using a thick, thin, or other type? Is an accelerator needed? What 
> brand in particular works? When I tried using an accelerator to speed up 
> the hardening on my skin the reaction was exothermic, and it burned like 
> hell.
>
> I have looked into buying medical CA glue intended for use on wounds, but 
> the stuff is incredibly high priced, like $35 for one dose, and you can't 
> buy just one.
>

A while ago I managed to nearly shear off the side of a finger while 
investigating the bottom of an electric typewriter.  I was assisted by
my son, and while I had said finger inside a cavity in the bottom of the 
machine, he found and moved a lever, which turned out to swing
a sharp-edged metal bit past the hole, working much like a miter trimmer.  A 
flap about 3/4" long, finger wide, and about 1/8" deep was
nearly detached, remaining connected at the finger tip.  I recall mentioning 
that I was injured, held the finger up with pressure, wrapped
in something, and we headed off to the emergency room, me dripping gently 
along the way.  At some point I investigated the injury
and repositioned the flap (by then white) into what looked like the original 
location.

Once in the 'fast track' at the hospital (you have to keep mentioning that 
you're really bleeding to get on that) they uncovered my hand,
washed it with saline, did not lift or reposition the flap, and just 
drizzled a few layers of superglue on.  I of course asked where I could
get such stuff, as it was in a handy dispenser, and they said it had 
antibiotics mixed in, but they would not share....As there was still some
blood oozing, the resulting hard 'shell' was tinted translucent red.  I was 
told to keep it dry and don't pick at it, let it come off naturally.
It eventually did about 2 weeks later, and the injury below had healed 
remarkably well and cleanly, although the 'flap' is now mostly scar tissue 
and insensitive.

I don't recall that they used any sort of accelerant, perhaps the flooding 
with saline first did the trick?  I also don't recall much heat,
but I think they did start by giving me a painkiller shot in the hand 
somewhere, so I may not have felt that. 

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