Girl's home manual of cookery, home management, home nursing and laundry

Mustard Poultice. Mix mustard and warm water to a paste for a very strong poultice, or use one part mustard to three parts linseed meal. Spread on cotton wool, cover with cheesecloth and rub vaseline on affected part before applying poultice over cheesecloth. Starch Poultice. Make thick boiling water starch as for laundry purposes, and apply on cotton wool. This is very soothing, and retains heat well. FOMENTATIONS Fomentations are used to lessen pain and inflammation. They have almost the same effect as poultices, and are often used alternately with poultices. Directions. Spread a towel over a bowl, place on the towel a piece of flannel, pour over both boiling water, fold sides of towel over flannel, gather the dry ends of towel in either hand and wring tightly. Shake out the flannel and apply at once. Cover it with oilskin and fasten with bandages if necessary. Twenty drops of turpentine sprinkled over the flannel may be used for pain in the body. Change fomentations often. For continuous fomentations use a saucepan of boiling water and hold towel by four corners suspended in it with flannel inside, wring and apply. Dry Heat. Heat any of the following in the oven, cover with hot flannel and apply: Bag of sand or salt, a flat tile or brick, or use a hot water bag or bottle. The round cover of a stove wrapped in newspaper may be used if no hot water is available. SOME EMERGENCIES Croup. Croup is caused by a false membrane forming in the windpipe. It may lead to suffocation unless vomiting occurs. Symptoms. A peculiar loud, harsh cough, the breathing is difficult, rough and shrill, the skin is hot and the face flushed, the child either struggles for breath or becomes unconscious. Treatment. Give one or two teaspoonfuls of ipecacuanha wine in warm sweetened water, give warm water until vomiting occurs. Repeat dose of wine in ten minutes if relief if not obtained. Place child, sitting up, in bath of hot water, cover shoulders with flannel, then poultice neck and chest. Use three parts linseed meal and one part mustard. Keep room warm and moist. Convulsions. Symptoms. The limbs may contract, sometimes the thumb is tightly drawn across palm of hand. Treatment. Put child at once into a hot bath or apply cloths dipped in hot mustard water to feet, legs, and lower part of body. When child has recovered, give a dose of castor oil. A Faint. Symptoms. Unconsciousness, partial or complete. Treatment. Give patient plenty of air, place the head low, loosen clothing, keep the crowd away, rub the limbs. When patient can swallow give cold water, tea or coffee, or one teaspoonful sal volatile in a wineglass of water. A person may sometimes prevent a faint by ducking the head. between the knees and keeping it there a few seconds, then going into the open air. Sunstroke. Symptoms. Unconsciousness, sudden sickness, faintness, giddiness, a difficulty in breathing. The skin is dry and burning, Treatment. Remove at once to a cool shaded place, if indoors darken room and place in a draught. Strip patient to waist, keep him lying down with head and shoulders raised. Fan vigorously, pour cold water over head and neck until consciousness returns. Apply an ice bag to head and spine or use cold applications. Give patient cold water only to drink. Drowning. Place patient flat with pad under shoulders. Cleanse nostrils and mouth, pull tongue forward and fasten it there with rubber band or handkerchief. Bare body to waist. Use artificial respiration. When patient breathes apply hot bottles and blankets, and when able to swallow give brandy, hot tea, and coffee. Burns and Scalds.