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Another Remedy

Dr. Balfour, of Edinburgh, has found the application of pressure in incipient cases of whitlow to succeed in preventing the formation of matter, and speedily to cure the disease. He applies compression with the hand in a degree which the patient can easily bear, with the view of preventing extensive suppuration, and then a narrow fillet. This operation, in severe cases, is repeated three or four times in the course of the day, when the pain and swelling disappear, leaving a single speck of pus at the point of the thumb immediately under the skin. If vent be given to this by the slightest touch of the lancet, the wound will heal up immediately.

White Swelling.

Dr. Kirkland recommends a volatile plaster for this disease, made after the following manner:

Melt together in an iron ladle, or earthern pipkin, two ounces of soap and half an ounce of litharge | the interval of two days, and the most inveterate plaster. When nearly cold, stir in one drachm of sal ammoniac in fine powder: spread upon leather, and apply to the joint as above.

If the above method fail, and ulceration take place, a surgeon should be applied to without delay.

Ointment for Chaps and Eruptions of the Skin.

Simmer ox marrow over the fire, and afterwards strain it through a piece of muslin into gallipots.

When cold rub the part affected.

Ringworm.

Mr. T. G. Graham, of Cheltenham, recommends the lime-water which has been used for purifying gas, as a very efficacious remedy in the above troublesome disease. The head is to be well cleaned, morning and evening, with soap and water, and afterwards washed with the lime-water from the gas works. The above lime-water is a very heterogeneous compound, so that it is impossible to say which of its ingredients is effectual. It contains lime, ammonia, sulphuretted hydrogen, volatile oil, and probably several other compounds of a more complex nature.

Scald Head.

Take of sulphur, 1 ounce; lard, 1 ounce; sal ammoniac, 2 drachms: Mix for an ointment, to be rubbed upon the part affected two or three times a day.

Ointment for Scald Head, Ringworm, etc.

The following ointment for scald head, ringworm, and tetter, has uniformly succeeded in speedily effecting a cure.

Take of subacetate of copper (in very fine powder), a drachm; prepared calomel, 1 drachm; fresh spermaceti ointment, 1 ounce.

Mix well together. To be rubbed over the parts affected every night and morning. This ointment is also very efficacious in cases of foul and languid ulcers.

Leprous Affections of the Skin.

Dr. Hufeland praises the excellent effects of the oil of the walnut kernel in leprous and other cutaneous complaints. It is one of the safest, simplest, and most efficacious external remedies that can be employed, as it mitigates the pains, and that burning sensation, sometimes almost insupportable, which accompany these obstinate diseases; it never seems to have any ill effect, if attention be given to the eruption suddenly disappearing, or diving, as it is said, by repulsion-a circumstance which frequently happens by the application of of metallic ointments, and which is often attended with much danger to the constitution; although it cures the cutaneous affection in a short time, it is not followed by any bad consequences, provided the eruption does not originate in any obstinate internal or general disease. In a child, which was almost covered with chronic and suppurating pimples, against which internal remedies, baths and mercurial ointments had been employed with out producing a perfect cure, the oil of walnut kernel was used with complete success. It is likewise an excellent remedy in small cutaneous eruptions that are now and then observed in children. ren.

The oil ought to be fresh, expressed without heat, and applied to the affected places twice or thrice a day.

Itch Ointment.

Take of flowers of sulphur 1 ounce; essence of lemon 1 ounce; hogs' lard 2 ounces. Make it into an ointment. Smear all the joints for three nights with this; wash it off in the morning with soap and water. Repeat the smearing three times at itch is certain to disappear. It will be well at the same time to take night and morning a teaspoonful of an electuary of flowers of sulphur, mixed with honey or treacle.

To remove Chilblains.

Take an ounce of white copperas dissolved in a quart of water, and occasionally apply it to the affected parts. This will ultimately remove the most obstinate blains. This application must be used before they break, otherwise it will do injury.

Another Method.

Take a piece of fresh wood of the fir, made flat and smooth, and hold it to the fire until it becomes moderately warm, and all the turpentine begins to exude; then place the part affected upon this board and keep it there as long as it can well be borne, after which let the part be washed with warm water, wrapped up in flannel and kept free from cold. This application is improper if the chilblains be broken, but if applied before it has arrived at that stage, it has never failed in removing the complaint after two or three applications. Another. Crude sal ammoniac 1 ounce; vinegar a pint; dissolve, and bathe the part, if not yet broken, two or three times a day. If sal ammoniac is not at hand, alum or common salt will do, but not so effectually. If the chilblains are of very long continuance and obstinate, touch them with equal parts of liquid opodeldoc (linimentum saponis) and tincture of Spanish flies, or rather less of the latter. If the chilblains break, poultice or dress them with basilicon, and add turpentine if necessary. Another. The following ointment for this annoying disease has been attended with the most beneficial effect: Take of citron ointment 1 ounce; oil of turpentine 2 drachms; olive oil 4 drachms.

Mix. To be well rubbed over the parts affected every night and morning.

Another. The following has also been found very beneficial in the cure of chilblains both in the incipient or inflammatory stage or when advanced to ulceration. When in the former state, the part should be well rubbed over with it by means of a warm hand, and afterwards kept covered with soft, thin leather. When ulcerated it should be applied on lint sufficiently large to cover the surrounding inflammation: Take of spermaceti ointment 6 drachms; prepared calomel 2 scruples; rectified oil of turpentine 1 drachm.

Mix. Pure glycerin is a very good mild application for chilblains. Treatment of Corns.

When small in size they are to be removed either by stimulants or escharotics, as the application of nitrate of silver (lunar caustic), merely by wetting the corn and touching it with a pencil of the caustic every evening. Previous to this the skin may be softened by immersion of the feet in warm water.

Another Mode.

Rub together in a mortar 2 ounces of powder of savin leaves, an ounce of verdigris and an ounce of red precipitate. Put some of this powder in a linen rag and apply it to the corn at bed-time. Removal by Cutting, etc.

If the corn has attained a large size, removal by cutting, or by ligature, will be proper; if it hangs by a small neck, the latter method is preferable. It is done by tying a silk thread round the corn, and on its removal next day tying an-