Mother's Remedies Part 17

Eczema of Children.--This is generally acute of the vesicular (watery) or vesicular pustular (pus forming) variety. The parts commonly affected are the scalp and the face.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Eczema.--Remove the causes, watch the feeding.

Keep the folds of the skin dry and free from friction. To prevent scratching, masks must be applied to the scalp and face, or the hands must be tied in bad cases. The local treatment is the same as above except the strength of the drugs used must be reduced in proper proportion.

Eczema of the Scalp, Milk Crust.--Remove the crusts by soaking the scalp with some bland oil for twelve hours, followed by a shampoo, (the hair should be cut in children) then the lotions and thin ointment (see above) should be applied.

Eczema of the Face.--A mask of soft linen with holes cut out for the eyes, mouth and nostrils may be used.

Eczema of the s.c.r.o.t.u.m.--A well fitting suspensory should be worn, sponge the parts with very hot water and follow with the anti-itching lotion and dusting powders for the itching.

Eczema of the Hands in Adults.--Keep the hands out of water as much as possible. Dry them thoroughly and then anoint. Greatly thickened patches may be softened by soap plasters or bathe the parts in ten or twenty per cent solutions of caustic potash and followed by a salve application. The internal treatment must be given for the cause.

Diet in Eczema.--Avoid salty foods, such as salted fish or pork and corned beef; greasy foods such as bacon and fried dishes; pastry and cheese.

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MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Salt Rheum. 1. Alum Wash and Cathartic for.--"Use an astringent wash as alum, tablespoonful in pint of water, and keep bowels opened by cooling medicines, as cream tartar, roch.e.l.le salts, etc." The alum solution will be found very cooling and by keeping the bowels open you will carry off all the impurities thus cleansing the blood, which is one of the essential things to do in salt rheum.

2. Salt Rheum, Ammonia and Camphor for.--"Apply ammonia and camphor to the cracks. Have used this successfully when everything else failed." Care should be taken not to have the ammonia too strong, as it may irritate the skin more. If used properly, it is a good remedy.

3. Salt Rheum, Cactus Leaf Cure for.--"From one large cactus leaf take out the thorns, add one tablespoon of salt, three tablespoons lard, stew out slowly, and grease with this at night. Remarks:--This cured my hand that had been in an awful condition for years."

4. Salt Rheum, Pine Tar for.--"Apply pine tar as a paste." This is an excellent remedy but care should be taken in using it, as pine tar is very irritating to some people, and should be used very cautiously.

BOIL. (Furunculus, Furuncle). Causes.--Boils may appear in a healthy person, but they are often the result of a low condition of the system; they are frequently seen in persons suffering from sugar diabetes.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Boil, My Mother's Poultice for.--"Poppy leaves pounded up and bound on are good. My mother has used this recipe and found it to be good." This remedy not only makes a good poultice, but is very soothing, as poppies contain opium. The leaves may be purchased at any drug store.

2. Boil, Soap and Sugar Poultice for.--"Poultice made of yellow or soft soap and brown sugar, equal parts. Spread on cloth and apply faithfully."

This makes a good strong poultice, and has great drawing powers and would be apt to create a good deal of pain, but would draw the boil to a head.

The above remedy was sent in by a number of mothers, all of whom said they had tried it with success when other remedies failed.

3. Boil, Vinegar or Camphor for.--"May be cured by bathing in strong vinegar frequently when they first start. When it stops smarting from the vinegar cover with vaseline or oil." Bathing the boil in vinegar seems to check the growth and does not allow them to become as large as they would ordinarily. If you do not have vinegar in the house, camphor will answer the same purpose.

4. Boil, Bean Leaf Poultice for.--"Apply snap bean leaves, beat up fine."

Bruise the leaves so that they are real fine, and apply to the boil. This acts the same as a poultice.

5. Boil, Another Vinegar Remedy for.--"If taken at first a boil can be cured by dipping the finger in strong vinegar and holding on the boil until it stops smarting. Repeat three or four times then apply a little oil to the head of boil."

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PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Boils.--Tonics such as iron, quinine, and strychnine are good. Elixir, iron, quinine and strychnine from a half to one teaspoonful three times a day is a good tonic for an adult. Sulphide of calcium one-tenth grain four times a day is good. Paint the inflamed spot when it first begins, with a solution of gun cotton (collodion) and renew it every hour until a heavy contractile coating is formed.

Poultices, if used, should contain sweet oil and laudanum. Alcohol and camphor applied over the skin in the early stages is recommended by Ringer. This I know is good. Another, wipe the skin and use camphorated oil. When boils occur in the external ear, the ca.n.a.l should be washed out with hot water. If it is ripe it should be opened. The following is good for the pain of a boil:

Iodoform 4 grains Menthol 2 grains Vaselin 1 dram

Mix and smear a cotton plug and insert in the ear two or three times a day.

ABSCESS.--An acc.u.mulation of pus (matter) in any part of the body.

External Abscess.--Boil the knife, wash your hands in clean, hot, soapy water. Wash the abscess and surrounding parts in hot water and good soap, and rinse off with alcohol, a salt solution, or listerine, etc. Then make a good deep clean cut and sc.r.a.pe out if necessary. Dress with a clean linen gauze or absorbent cotton, Poultices may be used if you are careful.

Such an abscess should be dressed twice a day. The inner dressing should be soft and thick enough to absorb all the secretion given out between dressings.

MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Abscess, Beech Bark Poultice for.--"Poultice made of red beech bark and wheat bran," A poultice made of the bark will cause a drawing feeling, and the wheat bran will retain the heat. The proportions for making the poultice should be about half and half.

2. Abscess, Milk and Salt Poultice for.--"Make a poultice of one cup of hot milk and common salt three teaspoonfuls; salt added gradually so it will not curdle. Cook until smooth and creamy, then add enough flour so it will spread but not be dry. Divide this into four poultices and apply in succession every half hour. This will remove the soreness and it should be kept oiled until healed."

3. Abscess, More Good Poultices for.--"Take equal parts of rosin and sugar, mix well and apply for several days until the abscess is broken. If this does not cause the abscess to break, poultice hourly with flaxseed meal."

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FELON. (Whitlow).--An inflammation of the deeper structures and frequently it is under the covering of the bone, (periosteum). If under the latter it must be opened soon or the resulting pus will burrow and destroy bone, joints, etc. The pain is intense, and after the patient has pa.s.sed one sleepless night walking the floor and holding his finger it should be opened.

How? Place the hand with the fingers extended with the palm up (it is usually under the finger or in the palm of the hand) upon the table; stand by the side of the arm. Attract the patient to something else; have a curved two-edge knife ready and put the point, one-half inch, toward the palm, away from the felon part, press hard and the patient will jerk his hand and the cut will be made down to the bone, the membrane and tissues all opened freely, a vent given for the pus and in ten minutes very little pain. Dress as for an abscess. If opened this way, it need not be reopened.

If in the Palm.--This needs a doctor, and must be opened with care. There are too many blood vessels to be careless there and one who understands it must do it. Open a true felon early before it has time to destroy the bone.

SUPERFICIAL FELONS. Mothers' Remedies. 1. A Cure if Taken in Time.--"If taken in time a felon may be cured without lancing, but if poultice or liniment is used it is important that they should be bound on tightly as the mechanical compression is more essential than the application. A good remedy is finely pulverized salt, wet with spirits of turpentine bound tightly and left two or three days, wetting with the turpentine when dry without removing the cloth."

2. Felon, Treatment until time to Lance.--"If the felon has succeeded in getting a good start and pains considerably, it is well to paint it with iodine; in a few days it will become very painful, the pain being so intense that you cannot sleep. See a physician at once then, and have it lanced as the sac of pus on the bone must be opened. Then apply flaxseed poultices. Care should be taken not to have it lanced too early, as this is dangerous.

3. Felon, Strong Remedy for.--"Turpentine, yellow of egg and salt, equal parts, bind on." This is very strong and should only be allowed to remain on the finger a short time.

4. Felon, Lemon to draw inflammation from.--"Take a lemon, make a little hole, put finger in it and hold there a number of hours." Lemons have a great many healing qualities in them, and seem to be very good for felons.

The acid in the lemon seems to help draw out the inflammation and serves as a poultice.

5. Felon, Hot Water Cure for.--"When you first feel it coming put the finger in a cup of hot water, just so it does not blister, keep adding more hot water as it cools for one hour. This has been tried several times and it has always stopped them."

6. Felon, Soap and Cornmeal Poultice for.--"Poultice with soft soap and cornmeal. This never fails if taken in time."

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7. Felon, Smartweed Poultice for.--"Apply the bruised leaves of smartweed and bind on tight as can be borne." This makes a very good poultice applied in this way.

8. Felon, Hot Application for.--"When a felon first starts, soak the finger in equal parts of alcohol and hot water; keep it as hot as the finger will bear it."

9. Felon, an Old, Tried Remedy for.--"Put wood ashes, covered with warm water in a dish on the stove, hold the affected part in this, allowing it to get as hot as can be borne."

10. Felon, Turpentine Cure for.--"Soak the finger for one hour in turpentine. This has been known to cure a great many cases of felon."

11. Felon, Weak Lye Application for.--"Stick your finger in weak lye (can lye). Have water just as hot as you can stand your finger in. Hold it in as long as possible."

12. Felon, Rock Salt and Turpentine for.--"Rock salt dry and pounded fine.

Mix equal portions with turpentine. When dry change. This cured a felon on my father." As much of our Canadian salt is rock salt, it is the most common salt to use.