Carboxymethylated cellulosic wound dressing garment

1. A body shaped wound dressing wherein the dressing is a knitted garment comprising a wound contacting surface knitted from a cellulosic yarn and an outer surface knitted from a textile yarn, which garment has been carboxymethylated at least in parts of its wound contacting surface and is dimensioned so that the garment is in mild extension when worn by a patient.

2. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the textile yarn is nylon or polyolefin.

3. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment has areas of ribbed knitting.

4. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment has areas of knitting in different tensions.

5. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment is a head mask with shaping to conform to a patient's nose and with slits for eyes, mouth and ears.

6. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment is a glove with fingers.

7. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment is a glove without fingers.

8. The body shaped wound dressing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garment is a vest.

9. A method of manufacturing a body shaped wound dressing wherein the dressing is a knitted garment comprising a cellulosic yarn, said method comprising:

i. knitting a garment comprising a wound contacting cellulosic yarn and an outer surface knitted from a textile yarn; and

ii. carboxymethylating the garment to carboxymethylate the cellulosic yarn at least in parts where the garment would contact a wound.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further comprising placing the garment in a solution of a source of silver in an organic solvent for sufficient time to incorporate silver in the fibers.

11. A method of treating a burn comprising applying to the burn, the body-shaped wound dressing of claim 1 .