Mother's Remedies Part 16

MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Eczema, Lemon or Vinegar for.--"Rub the spots with sliced lemon. This will sometimes relieve the itching. Bathing with vinegar water is better for some as it destroys the germs." The bowels should be kept open, and then const.i.tutional faults removed as the eruption of the skin is but a local manifestation of a functional fault.

2. Eczema, Olive Oil and Powder for.--"Bathe with olive oil and sift over the skin a powder composed of equal parts of fine laundry starch and oxide of zinc powder." Do not bathe with water until healed.

3. Eczema, Herb Tea for.--"A good wash for eczema is made of an ounce of bruised blood-root and yellow dock, steeped well in a pint of alcohol, and half pint of vinegar." Apply gently to the affected parts.

4. Eczema, Potato and Camphor for.--"Make a poultice of a cold potato with a small quant.i.ty of camphor. This is very good and relieves the trouble very soon."

5. Eczema, Sulphur and Lard for.--"An excellent eczema cure is made by applying a paste made of sulphur and lard to the affected parts." This is very easily prepared, and has been known to cure many cases.

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6. Skin Diseases, Burdock Tea a Standard Remedy for.--"Take a handful of the freshly bruised burdock root to two quarts of water and boil down one-half; drink from a half to one pint a day." This is considered one of the best home remedies for skin diseases that is known and is perfectly harmless.

7. Skin Disease, Blood Purifier for.--

"Iodide Potash 192 grains Fluid Extract Stillingia 1 ounce Fluid Extract p.r.i.c.kly Ash Bark 1/2 ounce Fluid Extract Yellow Dock 1 ounce Compound Syrup Sarsaparilla to make 8 ounces

Mix."

8. Tetter, Reliable Remedy for.--"Turpentine 1 ounce, red precipitate 3 drams, vaselin 4 ounces. Mix, rub on the affected parts several times a day." This is a splendid ointment for a severe case of tetter.

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Eczema.--Water is likely to make acute cases worse. In order to cleanse the parts use water softened by starch or bran.

Use oily preparations to soften the crusts and then they can be removed with water and good soap.

In Chronic Sluggish Cases.--Water and strong soaps may be used. Cloths wrung from hot water and applied, will frequently relieve the itching. Use lotions in moist and salves in dry eczema. For the acute kind the remedy should be soothing, and more or less stimulating for the chronic forms.

Local Treatment for the acute and sub-acute (between acute and chronic) eczema.

In acute cases, with much pouring out of liquid (serum), lotions have a cooling effect. They should be frequently renewed.

1. Black Wash.

Calomel 1 dram Mucilage Tragacanth 1 dram Lime water 10 ounces

Mix. Can be used full strength or diluted. Bathe the affected parts several times daily for fifteen or twenty minutes with this lotion and apply oxide of zinc ointment afterwards.

2. Lead and Laudanum wash.--When the parts discharge moisture with burning feeling, and are very sensitive the following is good:

Laudanum 1/2 ounce Solution of Sugar of lea 7-1/2 ounces

Mix and apply externally with gauze saturated with it.

3. A solution of boric acid is also a good remedy.

4. Apply the following soothing application frequently, allowing the sediment to remain on the skin:

Powdered Calamine 1 dram Oxide of Zinc 1 dram Glycerin 1 dram Lime water 6 ounces

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5. Dusting powders.--Corn, potato or rice starch powders. Mennen's baby powder is also good. Borated kind is the best for this.

6. Oxide of Zinc ointment alone, applied night and morning, is valuable in many cases.

The Black wash should be used twice a day just before the oxide of zinc ointment is applied. In other cases powdered oxide of zinc is dusted over the part if the discharge is watery or profuse.

7. McCall Anderson's Ointment.--

Oxide of Bis.m.u.th 1 ounce Pure Oleic Acid 8 ounces White Wax 3 ounces Vaselin 9 ounces Oil of Rose 5 drops

Make an ointment and apply. The proportions of each ingredient call be reduced one-half, for smaller amount.

8. Pastes are often borne better than ointment. The following is a good one. La.s.sar's paste:

Starch 2 drams Oxide of Zinc 2 drams Vaselin 4 drams

Mix and make a paste, apply to the part and cover with soft gauze.

9. For the Itching.--

Powdered Oxide of Zinc 1/2 ounce Powdered Camphor 1-1/2 dram Powdered Starch 1 ounce

Mix and dust on as needed.

When the disease is not so acute (sub-acute) applications of a mildly stimulating character are needed. For this purpose, resorcinal in the proportion of two to thirty grains to the ounce of lard, according to the severity and amount of hardness existing. Apply to the part. Stimulant and soothing.

External Treatment of Chronic Eczema.--Applications for chronic and lasting sluggish eczema.

1. Tincture of green soap used with hot water until the skin is bared and then dress with oxide of zinc ointment.

2. Tar in the form of the pure Official tar ointment.

3. Salicylic acid thirty to sixty grains to an ounce of lard and applied for stimulating purposes.

4. Dr. Schalek uses the same remedies in part and the following for a fixed dressing, especially on the eyes. They do not need to be changed often.

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Glycogelatin Dressing.--

Gelatin 10 drops Oxide of Zinc 10 drops Glycerin 40 drops Water 40 drops

Mix and apply to the part.

The above may be made in any quant.i.ties,--using drops, spoonfuls, etc.

Dress the parts in a thin gauze bandage, over which the melted preparation is painted. I have given many different prescriptions, but those who treat skin diseases know that a great many are needed, for they act differently upon different persons.

Special Varieties of Eczema and what to do for them.--