222 DR. CEASE'S RECIPES. 



Herbal or Eclectic Treatment for Measles. — A strong tea composed of saf- 

 fron and snake root always proves beneficial. Decoctions of licorice, marsh- 

 mallow roots and sarsaparilla are liliewise beneficial. Sudden changes should 

 be guarded against, and especially exposure to cold draughts, the room, how- 

 ever, should be kept moderately cool. No animal food should at first be taken, 

 but the patient confined to low, spare diet, such as sage, gruel, etc. A good 

 drink may be made of barley water, acidulated with lemon juice. 



HOT FOMENTATIONS AND POULTICES.— Hot fomentations 

 are serviceable in treating many forms of disease, and in some they are indispen- 

 sable. Hops, stramonium or jimson weed, tansy, hoarhound, catnip, lobelia, 

 etc., either in the herb or in tincture, are among the most common agents em- 

 ployed. The herbs should be simmered in water, or Annegar and water, until 

 their strength responds to the liquid, when tlicy should be placed between thin 

 muslin cloths, applied as hot as the patient can bear, and covered with a num- 

 ber of thicknesses of heated cloths. ISIaterial should be prepared for two 

 applications, so that as one is removed the other may be applied. The same 

 application may be used over and over, using the liquid in which it was steeped, 

 or adding hot water to keep it moist. They should be changed every 5 to 8 

 minutes, using care not to expose the part to the cold air during the changes, 

 When using tinctures instead of herbs, prepare a lotion by adding to a sufficient 

 quantity of water, or vinegar and water, or whiskey and water, so much of the 

 tincture as will give it the requisite strength, warm the lotion and place it where 

 it will keep warm, and saturate and wring from it several thicknesses of flannel 

 or muslin, applying hot to the part as in other cases. Vinegar or whiskey 

 should form an ingredient, if practicable, in any fomentation, and hops form a 

 good combination with other ingredients when not used alone. 



Hop Fomentation. — In bilious colic, inflammation of the lungs, and 

 other cases requiring energetic treatment, the best fomentation is made as fol- 

 lows: Take a quart of vinegar, put in a kettle, and add as much hops as the 

 vinegar will take up; boil them together for 5 or 10 minutes, and stir in as 

 much corn meal as will made the whole into a thick mush. The meal is added 

 simply to give consistence to the mass so as to retain the heat and not wet the 

 bedding. If corn meal is not at hand, sliorts, or bran and flour mixed together, 

 will do. Spread this thickly upon an ample piece of muslin cloth ( if 2 or 3 

 inches thick all the better), and apj^ly hot. If too hot to be applied next the 

 skin, lay folds of cloth between. Tlie esseniial point is to get the heat and the 

 fullest effects of the hops and vinegar as soon as possible, and to hold their 

 effect as long as possible. 



Hot Mustard Foot Bath.— Prepare a bucket or tub, the same as for 

 an ordinary foot bath, filling it a third to half full of water as hot as the patient 

 can bear with comfort. Put in it about two table-spoonfuls of ground mustard 

 (more or less, according to the degree of strength desired). Provide a reserve 

 of hot water (boiling hot, or nearly so), and after keeping the feet in the bath 

 for a short time, add hot water to keep up the temperature, keeping it as hot as 



