Part 12
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.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Superficial Felons.--Such may be averted perhaps. I have heard of that but have never seen it done. They are not the genuine, true blue, terrible felons, but even these can give much pain. They do not need such a deep opening, and they are not so dangerous to the structures. They are superficial and abscesses, perhaps, might be the better term. For these many applications have been made.
1. Some hold the finger in hot lye. That is a good poultice.
2. Yolk of an egg and salt (equal parts) make a salve as a drawer.
3. The membrane within the shell of an egg is another good drawing remedy.
Dr. Chase gives this definition of a felon in his first edition: "This is on one of the fingers, thumb or hand and is very painful. It is often situated at the root of the nail." The latter is the kind, and also that of the structures above the covering of the bone that are eased by local treatment. Especially the superficial, about the nail, etc. Steaming with herbs will do such good, or any hot poultice will do good. Dr. Chase says in another place, "Whitlow resembles a felon, but it is not so deeply seated. It is often found around the nail. Immerse the finger in strong lye as long and as hot as can be borne several times a day." Such felons are curable by local treatment. I prefer the salt and yolk of the egg to the lye. If you cannot stand this all the time, steam in the intervals with strong herbs or use hot poultices, and then open when it points.
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ULCERS. An Eating Away of the Parts, Causes.--Diseases like syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy. Disturbances of nutrition, constitutional ulcers, local conditions. Ulcers are acute and chronic. An acute ulcer is a spreading ulcer, in and about which acute destructive inflammation exists.
Treatment.--Keep them thoroughly clean (aseptic) and use soothing applications, mild lotions and salve.
Chronic Ulcer.--This is one which does not tend to heal, or heals very slowly. Sometimes such ulcers need to be stimulated like the application of nitrate of silver and then healing applications. Carbolated oxide of zinc ointment is a good healing ointment.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Sores and Ulcers, the Potato Lotion for.--"Take the water you boil potatoes in and in one quart of it boil one ounce of foxglove leaves for ten minutes, then add one ounce tincture of myrrh to the lotion, bathe the affected parts with the lotion warm, then keep a cloth wet with it on the sore, if possible, until cured."
2. Sores and Ulcers, Chickweed Ointment for.--"Chop chickweed and boil in lard, strain and bottle for use." This makes a fine green cooling ointment, It is surprising to see the relief obtained by this simple ointment.
3. Old Sores and Wounds, Healing Ointment for.--
"Honey 4 ounces Spirits of Turpentine 1/2 ounce Beeswax 4 ounces Oil of Wintergreen 1/2 ounce Tincture of Opium 1 ounce Fluid Extract Lobelia 1/4 ounce Lard 3/4 pound
Mix by the aid of gentle heat, stirring well at the same time. This is a very useful ointment for healing wounds and old sores."
4. Sores and Ulcers, Excellent Salve for.--"One tablespoon of melted mutton or even beef tallow while warm; add some spirits of turpentine and one teaspoonful of laudanum, stir well."
5. Ill-Conditioned Sores, an Old German Remedy for.--"Wash or syringe the sore with weak saleratus water, and while wet fill with common black pepper. Remarks:--This is a highly recommended German remedy, and has been tried by my mother with good, results."
6. Sores, Cuts, Antiseptic Wash for; Also Tooth Wash.--"Peroxide of hydrogen. Should always be kept in the house." If you are cut by anything that might cause infection or if scratched by a cat, in fact wherever there is chance for infection and blood poison, peroxide of hydrogen may be used by moistening well the wound with it as soon as you can. As a mouth wash put a little in a glass of water. Directions usually on the bottle.
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7. Indolent Ulcers and Boils, Chickweed and Wood Sage Poultice for.--"Equal parts of chickweed and wood sage pounded together make a good poultice for all kinds of indolent ulcers and boils."
8. Ulcers, Proud Flesh, Venereal Sores and all Fungus Swellings, Blood Root and Sweet Nitre for.--"Two ounces pulverized blood root; one pint of sweet nitre; macerate for ten days, shake once or twice a day."
9. Rosin 1 ounce Beeswax 1 ounce Mutton Tallow 4 ounces Verdigris 1 dram
Melt the rosin, tallow and wax together, then add the verdigris. Stir until cool and apply.
Add a few drops of carbolic acid to the above and you will have the carbolated salve which is quite expensive when bought prepared and under the manufacturer's label.
10. Sores and Chapped Hands, Sour Cream Salve for.--"Tie thick sour cream in a cloth and bury in the ground over night. In the morning it will be a nice salve. Excellent for chapped hands or anything that requires a soft salve."
11. Old Sores, A Four-Ingredient Remedy for.--"Soften one-half pound of vaselin, stir into it one-half ounce each of wormwood, spearmint and smartweed. This is good for old and new sores. My people near Woodstock, Canada, used this and found it very good."
12. Ulcers and Sores, Carrots will heal.--"Boil carrots until soft and mash them to a pulp, add lard or sweet oil sufficient to keep it from getting hard. Spread and apply; excellent for offensive sores. Onion poultice made the same way is good for slow boils and indolent sores." This makes a very soothing poultice and has great healing properties.
13. Ulcers and Sores, a Remedy that Cures.--"To one-fourth pound of tallow add one-fourth pound each of turpentine and bayberry and two ounces of olive oil. Good application for scrofulous sores and ulcers." This makes a good ointment, but should not be continued too long at a time as the turpentine might have a bad action on the kidneys.
14. Ulcers and Old Sores, Bread and Indian meal for.--"Take bread and milk or Indian meal, make to consistency of poultice with water, stir in one-half cup of pulverized charcoal. Good to clean ulcers and foul sores." The bread and Indian meal make a good poultice while the charcoal is purifying and a good antiseptic.
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PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Ulcers.--Keep them thoroughly cleaned. A mild, weak, hot solution of salt water is good in chronic, slow healing, indolent ulcers. Carbolated salve applied afterwards is healing. Sometimes a stimulating poultice is necessary, like salt pork followed by soothing salves. If an ulcer looks red and angry, it needs soothing. If there is any "proud flesh" powdered burnt alum applied directly upon it and left on for an hour or two is good. Then soothing salves.
Balsam of Peru is good for chronic ulcers. It stimulates them to a little activity.
A salve made by boiling the inner bark of the common elder, the strained juice mixed with cream or vaselin is a good healing application for ulcers.
Poultice an irritable, tender, painful ulcer with slippery elm bark. Repeat when necessary.
Indolent Sluggish Ulcer.--This kind needs stimulating, salt solution, or salt pork applied.
Poultice made of sweet clover is well recommended for ulcers. As before stated, the active kind should have soothing treatment. The chronic indolent kind, should be stimulated occasionally and then soothing applications applied.
SHINGLES (Herpes Zoster). Definition.--This is an acute inflammatory disease of the skin, characterized by groups of vesicles upon the inflamed base, distributed along the course of one or more cutaneous (skin) nerves.
Symptoms.--The eruption is preceded by a great deal of neuralgic pain and is almost always one-sided. They first appear as red patches and upon these patches vesicles soon develop (skin elevations with liquid in them); these are separate, size of a pin-head to a coffee bean, swollen with a clear fluid, and clustered in groups of two to a dozen. They may dry up in this stage, or they may fill with pus or run together, forming larger patches; new crops may appear, while the others fade. The vesicles rarely rupture of themselves, but dry into brownish crusts, which drop off leaving a temporary colored skin. It follows the course of a nerve. The most common seat of this disease is over one or more intercostal (between the rib) nerves, extending from the backbone to the breastbone. It also occurs along the side of the face and temple.
Causes.--It is a self-limited disease, runs its course in a few weeks, of nervous origin and may be produced by exposure to weather changes, blows and certain poisons.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. Shingles, Herb Remedy for.--1. "Make a solution of yerba rheuma, one ounce to a pint of boiling water, and apply freely to the part several times a day." The yerba rheuma has an astringent action and contracts the tissues, relieving the inflammation of the skin. It also relieves the itching.
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2. Shingles, Mercury Ointment for.--"Apply night and morning an ointment from the oleate of mercury." This preparation will be found effective, but care should be taken not to use too much of it, as oleate of mercury is very powerful. It relieves the burning and itching.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Shingles.--Protect the vesicles from rupture or irritation and relieve the pain. Paint the surface with a solution of gun cotton (collodion). Tonics to keep up the strength.
EXCESSIVE SWEATING. (Hyperidrosis).--This is a disorder of the sweat glands in which sweat is thrown out in excessive quantities.
Symptoms.--It may be great only in the armpit where it stains the clothing. When it comes on the hands and feet they may be wet, clammy and have an offensive odor. They may be soaked, inflamed and painful.
Causes.--The local forms may be due to a nervous condition; it is often the result of general debility.
Treatment.--General tonics are needed and those given under anemia, which see. Applications for the local treatment.--Solution of alum applied to the part will act as an astringent.
White oak bark tea is good as anything. It should not be used so strong as to stop sweating entirely. Then follow it with dusting powders of starch or boric acid, containing salicylic acid (two to five per cent). When it occurs upon the feet use the Diachylon ointment. It must be made up fresh in a drug store. This is applied on strips of lint or muslin after the parts have been thoroughly washed and dried; it should be renewed twice daily, the parts being dried with soft towels and then covered with dusting powder, followed by the ointment.
FRECKLES. (Lentigo).--Freckles are an excessive deposit of pigment in the skin.
Causes.--Exposure to the sun's rays aggravates this condition.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES for Freckles. 1. Freckles, Buttermilk for.--"Buttermilk on the face every night." This is a very simple remedy, and as buttermilk is very easily obtained, anyone troubled with freckles can try this remedy without very much expense. This simple remedy has been known to cure many cases.
2. Freckles, to Remove.--"Nitrate of potash applied to the face night and morning is very good, and the freckles will soon disappear."
3. Freckles, Alcohol and Lemon Juice for.--"Use alcohol and lemon juice freely at night." Lemon juice is very good for the skin if applied frequently.
[76 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
4. Freckles, Excellent Lotion for.--
"Rose Water 4 ounces Alcohol 1/2 ounce Hydrochloric Acid 1/2 dram
Mix and apply with sponge or cloth three times daily.
5. Freckles, Borax Water for.--"Rain water eight ounces, borax one-half ounce. Mix and dissolve; wash parts twice daily."
6. Freckles, Canadian Remedy for.--"Glycerin, lemon juice, rosewater, equal parts. Apply at night with a soft cloth,"
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Freckles.--They are apt to return on exposure to the sun. The following ointment may be of service. Care should be taken not to blister:
Ammoniated Mercury 1 dram Subnitrate of Bismuth 1 dram Glycerin Ointment 1 ounce
Mix and apply every other night.
PRICKLY HEAT RASH.--An acute inflammatory disease of the sweat glands; minute pimples and vesicles develop.
Symptoms.--It occurs upon the body and consists of many pinhead sized bright red pimples and vesicles which are very close together. It appears suddenly, and is usually accompanied by much sweating and subsides in a short time with slight scaling following. There is itching, tingling and burning usually present.
Cause.--Excessive heat in summer in children and weak people.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Prickly Heat, Soda Water for.--"Bathe with saleratus (baking soda) water, dry carefully and apply good talcum powder freely."
2. Prickly Heat, Relief from pain of.--
"Borax Powder 6 drams Menthol 10 grains Rose Water 6 ounces
Bathe the parts and between applications dust on lycopodium powder."
The borax powder will be found good to cover the parts and muriate of morphia relieves the pain. The rose water is simply put in to dissolve the other ingredients.
3. Prickly Heat, a Hamilton, Ontario, Mother Found Burnt Cornstarch good for.--"Dust with browned cornstarch. This acts like talcum powder and is not so expensive."
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4. Rash, Soothing Ointment for. l.--"Make an ointment of one dram of boric acid powder to one ounce of vaseline. First wash the affected parts with a strong solution of saleratus, then apply the ointment and dust talcum powder over this." The washing with saleratus is very important as this is a good antiseptic and thoroughly cleanses the parts.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Prickly Heat.--It disappears usually in a few days. Tonics for the weak, light clothing, a light nourishing diet and frequent cold bathing. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited. White oak bark tea as a wash for the sweating, followed by dusting powders of starch, oatmeal, and zinc oxide, etc.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Chafing, Fuller's Earth Eases.--"Wash parts well with boracic acid water, then dust with fuller's earth," The boracic water is cleansing and fuller's earth is very healing. This is a very simple but effective remedy.
2. Chafing, Good Home Remedy for.--"Usually all that is required is washing the parts well with castile soap and cold water, and anointing with plain vaselin," This remedy is always at hand, and is one to be relied upon. Vaselin, as we all know, is very healing.
3. Chafing, Borax and Zinc Stops.--"Wash parts frequently with cold water and use the following solution:
Pure Water 2 gills Powdered Borax 1 teaspoonful Sulphate of Zinc 1/2 teaspoonful
Apply by means of a soft rag several times daily. After drying the parts well, dust with wheat flour, corn starch or powdered magnesia;"
The above combination is excellent as the water cleanses the parts and the borax and zinc are very soothing and healing.
4. Chafing, Common Flour good to stop.--"Burn common wheat flour until brown. Tie in rag and dust chafed parts."
MOLE. (Naevus).--Mole is a congenital condition of the skin where there is too much pigment in a circumscribed place. It varies in size from a pin-head to a pea or larger. The face, neck and back are their usual abiding place.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Moles.--They should be removed by knife or by electricity. The last is the best, especially for the hairy variety.
Causes.--If they are subject to too much irritation they develop into malignant growth.
ENLARGED NAIL. (Onychauxis).--The nail may become too long, thick or wide. Treatment.--Remove the cause. Trim away the excessive nail tissue with a knife or scissors. In paronychia, inflammation around the nail, pieces of lint or cotton should be inserted between the edge of the nail and the inflamed parts, and wet solution of antiseptics, like listerine or salt water, applied with cloths.
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INFLAMMATION OF THE NAIL. (Onychia). Treatment.--Cut into the back part if it needs it. That will relieve the tension and pain. Sometimes the nail must be removed. The inflammation is at the base (matrix) of the nail.
LOUSE, Disease of the Skin Produced by.--This is a disease of the skin produced by an animal parasite, the pediculus or louse. There are the head louse, pediculus capitis; the body louse, pediculus corporis; the pubis, (about the genitals) pediculus pubis. The color of lice is white or gray. They multiply very fast, the young being hatched out in about six days and within eighteen days are capable of propagating their same species. The nits are glued to the hair with a substance which is secreted by the female louse.
HEAD LOUSE or Pediculus Capitis. Treatment.--The symptoms are very apparent. Apply pure kerosene, rub it into the hair thoroughly. It can be mixed with an equal part of balsam of peru. It should be left on the scalp for twelve to twenty-four hours and then removed by a shampoo. Other remedies that can be used are, tincture of staphisagria (stavesacre), this can be made into an ointment; or ointment of ammoniated mercury. The dead nits are removed from the hair by dilute acetic acid or vinegar. Cutting the hair is not usually required. An infusion of quassia is good as a wash.
Body Louse or Clothes Louse (Pediculus Corporis).--This parasite lives in the clothes. It is apt to be found in the folds or seams, especially where the clothes come in close contact with the skin, as about the neck, shoulders and waist. This creature visits the body for its meal. They may produce different kinds of skin troubles like eczema, boils, etc.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Lice.--Destroy the lice and their eggs (ova) by thoroughly baking or boiling the clothing. The irritated skin can be healed by soothing applications like vaselin, and oxide of zinc.
(Pediculus Pubis).--Lice on the hair of the pubis or about the genitals. This is the smallest parasite of the three varieties, and it attaches itself firmly to the hair with its head buried in the follicular openings, and it is removed with great difficulty.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Lice.--1. Ointment of mercury, blue ointment. This is to be used frequently. It is rather unclean and may create a severe inflammation so be careful of it.
2. Solution of corrosive sublimate, from one to four grains to one ounce of water. This is good and can be used once or twice a day; rub thoroughly into the parts. It will cause redness and inflammation may follow if too much is used. It is very effective. Kerosene with an equal quantity of balsam of peru is a good remedy.
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BLISTER DISEASE, (Pemphigus).--This is an acute or chronic skin disease in which there are blisters of various sizes and shapes, and these usually occur in crops.
Symptoms.--The disease may attack any part of the body. The blisters range from the size of a pea to a large egg. They contain at first a clear fluid, which soon becomes cloudy and looks more or less like pus. They last several days and then dry up. They do not rupture of themselves very often. It is not catching.
Causes.--These are obscure and not understood. A low state of the system is usually found.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Blister Disease.--General treatment should be given. Arsenic is the best remedy and can be given in the form of Fowler's solution, five drops after meals at the beginning far an adult. This should be increased until some poisonous symptoms, such as bloating in the face is produced.
Elixir Quinine, Iron and Strychnine is good as a tonic, one teaspoonful after meals. Regulate the diet, give nourishing and easily digested food.
Local Treatment.--Puncture the blisters. Then put on a mild ointment like vaselin; bran and starch baths can be given in some cases. The length of the time of the disease is uncertain.
THE ITCH DISEASE. (Psoriasis) (not Common Itch). Definition.--This is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, in which there appear upon the skin thick, adherent, overlapping, scales of a shiny, whitish color, and these are situated upon a reddish, slightly raised and sharply outlined (defined) base.
Symptoms.--They begin as small reddish spots, sharply defined against the healthy skin. They may be elevated slightly and soon became covered with whitish pearl colored scales. If the scales are picked off, there is left a smooth red surface, and from this, small drops of blood ooze out. No watery or pus-like discharge escapes at any period of this disease. These spots extend at the circumference (periphery), reaching the size of the drops, or of the coins, or they may run together and form ring-shaped, or crooked wavy lines of patches, with a center that is healing up. A few scattered spots may be present, or large areas may be involved. In rare cases the whole skin is affected. These spots or patches may occur an any part of the body, but involve the extending part of the limbs, especially the elbows and knees. There may be slight itching present at times.
Course of the Disease.--It is chronic; patches may continue indefinitely or they may disappear in one place, while new crops appear elsewhere. This disease usually appears far the first time between the ages of ten and fifteen; it may then return at various intervals during a lifetime. It is usually worse during the winter.
[80 MOTHERS' REMEDIES.]
Causes.--Are usually unknown, it may occur in all classes and kinds of people.