joy beeson wrote:

I [...] tore a quarter-inch gash in the knuckle of
my left thumb. (Closed up to more like an eighth of an inch
this morning.)

It didn't bleed, but I'm going to have to wash the dishes
again tonight.

Joy, I use superglue to close gashes and cuts. It's great for
papercuts. Once the cut has stopped bleeding I put a drop in the cut,
and hold the edges together firmly while it sets. A Steristrip is
great for this, if you have one. It stings like mad for a few seconds
and then it settles down.

I also use it if I get fissures in my fingers caused by dryness from
central heating in winter.

It stops anything getting into the cut and stinging (eg salt, lemon
juice) and holds the edges together nicely while it heals. It just
wears away with the top layer of skin.

I'm sure there's a special surgical one, but I use regular superglue.

Sally