Ichor is to dragons what blood is to mammals. Copper-based as opposed to iron, it is a dark green in color. In some cases it may be necessary to withdraw blood from a healthy dragon for transfusion into an injured one. A syringe is necessary for this operation. The essential components for a syringe are the glass body of the syringe itself, needlethorn, and wax. Needlethorns need to be long enough to get through hide, muscle, and tissues to the veins--3 inches or longer. They're strong enough to use for injections, so bending or breaking should not be a problem. The larger the aperture of the needle, the more ichor can be drawn, and the maximum aperture should be used wherever possible. The wax is obtained from a tree and is used to attach the needlethorn to the body of the syringe. When kneaded, the wax becomes a soft gel, which enables it to seal the syringe as it hardens.
Everything (and we do mean everything) needs to be sterilized for this process. To sterilize, boil the syringe in water for approximately an hour, wash it in redwort, then rinse in boiling water. Needlethorns must not be boiled--it makes them soggy--instead wash them in redwort and rinse them in water. Mold the wax around the entrance of the syringe, then secure the needlethorn in place before allowing the wax to seal off the juncture between thorn and syringe. Needlethorn should never be re-used, as it increases the chances for infection, but syringes should be re-sterilized (they are expensive, so care must be taken when using them with oily hands).
Symptoms of a dragon needing a transfusion of fresh ichor are complaints of unslakable thirst on the part of both dragon and rider. Dragon hide will be grey in tone, and the dragon will be lethargic. In the case of dried-out cartilage following a wing injury, the dragon will likely be distressed, dehydrated, and parched.
Assess the situation: If the dragon is delirious, enlist the assistance of a gold dragon to dampen the pain and keep the dragon still enough to administer the cure. Get assistance, a healthy dragon to withdraw ichor from and the necessary equipment as soon as possible.
Determination: How long has the injured area been without steady ichor flow? Are the cartilages only slightly drier than they should be, or completely dried out? Is the dragon ichoring from a body wound that was improperly sutured, or not sutured at all? Make a thorough examination of the dragon in question. You will most likely not be able to ask the dragon's rider, because wounds like this are generally accompanied with a serious amount of delirium.
Treatment:
1. Check for, and treat, any complications from wounds.
2. Remove ichor from a healthy dragon, and use it to treat the sick dragon. Clean the hide of a healthy dragon with redwort, usually over a bone (wing bones are good for this), and then palpate the hide for a vein. Then, using a syringe, puncture that vein, and remove ichor from the dragon. Once the syringe is filled, carefully remove the needle from the vein, and hold a redwort-soaked pad over the needle entrance point for a few moments.
3. Infuse into the area that is being drained of ichor. Even dropping the ichor on externally can aid greatly. If the area is cartilage, use the following directions:a. Suture the vessels that are ichoring.
b. Remove ichor from a healthy dragon (see above instructions).
c. Apply ichor directly to the dried-out cartilages and joints as necessary.
Recovery: Anywhere from one month to one Turn, depending on the severity of the injury and any complications. With dried-out cartilages, recovery time depends on the severity of the wing injury, but will generally be at least a few months. Dehydration should be treated as quickly as possible.
