314 



The Book of Woodcraft 



times in alcohol in which is dissolved sugar-of-lead, 20 

 to I. This will cure the sores in three days unless the 

 trouble is complicated with rheumatism, in which case 



you need a doctor. 

 The same remarks 

 apply to poison oak 

 and poison sumac. 



Purge, mild: A de- 

 coction of the inner 

 bark of butternut, 

 preferably of root, is a 

 safe, mild purge. Boil 

 a pound in a gallon of 

 water till a quart only 

 is left. A teaspoonful 

 of it is a dose. 



Purge, strong: The 



young leaflets of elder 



are a drastic purgative. They may be ground up and taken 



as decoction, boiling a pound in a gallon of water till it 



makes a quart. Use in 



Witch hazel. 



one 



very small doses 

 teaspoonful. 



Purge, fierce: The root, 

 fresh or not long dry, of 

 bluefiag, should be pow- 

 dered and given in twenty- 

 grain doses. A grain is 

 about the weight of a grain 

 of wheat, or one twenty- 

 fourth of an ounce; so 

 twenty grains is what will 

 cover a quarter-dollar to the depth of one sixteenth inch. 



Rheumatism: Put the patient in bed. Make him drink 



Poison sumac. 



