GENERAL HEALTH HINTS 713 



One of the most mischievous errors current in mod- 

 ern times is the popular notion that a man may trans- 

 gress all the laws of health with impunity, and then 

 swallow a few drops of medicine, and antidote all the 

 results of his evil habits. Diseases are far less fre- 

 quently cured by remedies than most people, and in- 

 deed many physicians, suppose. When a sick person 

 gets well, it is usually because he has reformed from 

 his evil ways, and nature has ceased to punish him for 

 his physical sins. Nature cures whenever there is a 

 cure. It has been suggested by a very wise physician 

 that it may be that remedies hinder as often as they 

 aid in recovery. And it may be that patients get well 

 in spite of the remedies which are applied outside and 

 inside, almost as often as by the aid of them. 



In case of extensive burns, death occurs probably 

 not so much as the result of destruction of the skin, 

 as from the absorption of poisonous matters formed 

 by the germs developing on so large a denuded sur- 

 face. The best means of preventing this is the ap]3li- 

 cation, from the beginning, of antiseptics. It is impor- 

 tant, however, to select an antiseptic substance which, 

 while destructive of germs or capable of preventing 

 their development, is, at the same time, not poisonous 

 to the system in quantities in which it is likely to be 

 absorbed. A very excellent remedy for this purpose 

 is thymol. The following ointment possesses great 

 value as a remedy for burns, on account of its emollient 

 healing properties: 



Bismuth subnitrate 20 parts. 



Yellow vaseline . 80 parts. 



Thymol Yz part. 



A thick layer of this ointment should be applied to 



