Mother's Remedies Part 87

MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Scalds, Elder Berries Soothing for.--"The flowers of the black elder berries and the bark all possess valuable medicinal properties. An ointment made by stirring the fresh flowers into melted lard or vaselin and occasionally stirring it, will be found an excellent remedy for scalds or burns." It is not only soothing, but forms a coating thereby keeping the air out.

2. Scalds, Alum for Slight.--"Put a teaspoonful of alum in a pint of water, and bathe the parts frequently. Keep the parts well wet with this solution which extracts the heat in a remarkable manner and soothes the patient into a calm and refreshing sleep." This remedy is most always at hand and will relieve if the case is not too severe.

3. Scalds, Sc.r.a.ped Potatoes will Relieve.--" A few raw potatoes sc.r.a.ped or grated and beaten in a bowl, then add a dram of laudanum; apply to the affected parts as you would a poultice."

4. Scalds, Crackers and Slippery Elm as Poultice for.--"Apply a poultice of cracker and slippery elm, made of raspberry leaf tea. Guard against taking cold." Use enough of the raspberry tea to make a soft mixture. This is very soothing, and keeps the air from the scald which is one of the essential things in order to get relief.

5. Scalds, Raisins' and Lard with Tobacco Helps.

"One pound Raisins, chopped.

One pound Lard.

Five cent package of Chewing Tobacco.

Mix all together and let this simmer about three hours slowly, strain it and put in a jar."

6. Scalds, Sweet Oil Soothing for.--"I know of nothing better than equal parts of sweet oil and lime water." This is very good and should be applied freely.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Superficial b.u.ms.--Exclude the air; protect and treat the parts is the theory of treatment.

Superficial Burn.--When the skin is not broken, bicarbonate of soda may be sprinkled thick over the burn, then wrap the part in moist gauze, lint or linen, and over this a layer of common cotton, and hold in place with a bandage. Flour can be used in place of the soda. Oatmeal flour, rice flour, etc., will do also. The objection to all powders is that the moist gauze, etc., will make the flour form cakes and make removal painful and difficult. Applications in liquid form are therefore better.

Liquid Forms.--If the blisters are large, open them with a clean (sterile-boiled) instrument (scissors or knife) and absorb the fluid with a clean gauze. Then dissolve bicarbonate of soda in water--a saturated solution. This term means as much soda as the water will dissolve. Then gauze, lint or linen pads may be wrung out of this solution or the same strength of boric acid solution and applied. Put over this a layer of clean cotton and hold in place by a bandage or strip of adhesive plaster.

(Keep parts always moist). Baking soda will do about as well as bicarbonate of soda.

[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 389]

Oil and ointments are also very beneficial. Spread the ointments or oil over the burn thick and cover with lint or soft linen, and change frequently to keep from smelling badly.

1. Carron oil made of equal parts of lime-water and linseed oil is good.

2. Carbolized oil or simple pure sweet oil is good.

3. Cosmoline, Vaselin, Pineoline (salves) are all good; they cover and protect.

4. Cold cream is very good.

5. Thick lather from any good pure soap spread over the part thick and then covered with the cloth dressing. This is very good and is always at hand.

6. Dr. Douglas, of Detroit, very strongly recommends the following simple remedy: One teaspoonful of common salt to one pint of boiled water, used comfortably warm. Old clean muslin or gauze cloths of several thicknesses should be dipped in this solution and spread evenly over the sores in several layers and over this oiled paper or paraffine paper should be applied to prevent evaporation or drying and bind all with a bandage. The covering should not be too thick or it might make the part too warm. This should be avoided in all dressings.

This salt water dressing can be moistened and changed when necessary.

7. Beeswax ointment. (Dr. Douglas).-

"Benzoinated Lard 6 ounces.

Yellow Beeswax 1 ounce.

Salicylic Acid 20 grains."

Mix the wax in a tin cup, then add the lard, when all is melted remove from the fire and stir till cool, then add the salicylic acid and continue stirring until cold. This makes an excellent covering, excludes the air.

8. Ointment of Oxide of Zinc is very good. The following are the ingredients:

"Oxide of Zinc 2 drams.

Lanoline 5 drams.

Alboline 1 dram.

Salicylic Acid 10 grains.

Mix, and make ointment and apply."

The following is not very pleasant to think about, but farmers have frequently used it: Cow manure as a poultice.

Another: The inner bark of elder boiled in cream. Use the salve resulting.

This is good for burns and sores.

Another: Slippery elm bark tea boiled down so it will be thick and oily, is very good.

[390 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Some claim that immersing the part in milk and keeping it so is a very good remedy. We know that cream is, but it will soon become rancid.

Remedies must be of an oily covering nature to do good, or else do it by their antiseptic qualities like salt, boric acid, etc.

Another:

"Picric Acid 75 grains.

Alcohol 20 ounces.

Distilled Water 2 pints.

Mix and apply."

Cleanse the burns of dirt and charred clothing and then soak strips of clean gauze in this solution and apply to the part. Place over this a pad of dry absorbent cotton which can be fastened by a light bandage or adhesive straps. The dressing dries rapidly, and may be left in place for several days. Then moisten it with the same solution so as to soften the dressing and remove it. Then apply a fresh dressing of the same kind and leave on a week. This dressing soon relieves the pain, prevents the formation of matter (pus), hastens healing and, leaves a smooth surface.

The dressing stains the hands so it is best applied with rubber gloves.

This is good for all degree burns.

For Severe Case.--There may be and is shock and great weakness after some burns. The patient should be put to bed and given strong black coffee, or if you have it one teaspoonful of aromatic spirits of ammonia in a gla.s.s of water. Hot water bags and jars should be applied to the feet and one teaspoonful of paregoric may be given to an adult for the pain. Give the patient ice to hold in his mouth, as he is very thirsty. Cold water and milk to drink also. If the burn is severe put oil cloth or rubber on the bed to protect the bed from the wet dressing. Do not put a night-shirt or pajamas on him, as it pains to remove and renew the dressings, if such are used as need frequent removal and renewal. Cover warmly, but keep covers lifted so that their weight will not give unnecessary pain. The bowels can be kept open with soap-suds enemas. Watch carefully, especially a man, if urine is pa.s.sed and enough in quant.i.ty. It must be drawn if it is not pa.s.sed within twelve hours.

For Third Degree Burns.--In this kind there is a great shock. Stimulate the patient with whisky, etc. Put one ounce in a gla.s.s one-half full of water, and give two teaspoonfuls frequently, dependent upon how much stimulant the patient has ever used; or an enema of one ounce of hot coffee can be given.

The first dressings may be the same, but when the patient is stronger others should be used.

Warm Baths are now used when the deep tissues are burned, and the sloughs and charred material are removed.

[ACCIDENTS AND POISONS 391]

When convenient, begin with a warm tub bath, with boric acid added to the water--handful to the tub. This is good for stimulating purposes, and also to relieve pain and for cleansing the surfaces before the applications of the dressings, these can be of those recommended.

When the air pa.s.sages have been scalded by hot steam or hot liquids, the steam of lime-water, not too hot, may soothe.