982 THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY HERB DOCTOR. 
SCALD, OR SCABBED HEAD 
Is very common in infancy, for children’s heads are full of fine 
blood vessels, and as the blood is thrown with more force 
where there is disorder, the least disarrangement in the 
circulation often manifests itself by eruptions of various kinds. 
The head should be kept cool, lightly covered, and the hair 
never suffered to grow too long; be well washed daily with 
warm glycerine-soapy water, as well as the body, afterwards 
using a little cold water. The head is sometimes covered in 
this disease with thick dry brown scabs, from which is dis- 
charged matter of a thin watery kind, so poisonous and 
penetrating, that if any of it fall upon the neck and shoulders 
it will fret and eat away the skin. It is by no means difficult 
to remove, if proper attention and the means are applied. 
The hair should be cut close, and the head washed, as already 
stated, morning and night, after which a lotion, made as 
follows, may be applied cold :— 
Dock root, common, fresh, bruised .. Four ounces. 
Pee aecee . Awe fit ees a kee ene a Half ounce. 
Boil the whole in two quarts of water for twenty minutes, 
strain, let it cool, put it into a stone bottle, and add an ounce 
and half of tincture of myrrh. 
After washing the head, as recommended, and drying with 
a soft towel, moisten it all over for about five minutes with the 
above lotion. Prepare an ointment made as follows :— 
Dock-root, green, well bruised...... One ounce. 
Blood-root, dry, and well brnised.... Quarter ounce. 
Bistort ,, 5 re »++» Quarter ounce. 
Lobelia herb, crude.....ssseeeeee++ 2 WO teaspoonfuls. 
Mutton suet........ Tee es as MOTO ORNCR, 
OE lel RR a ota aes by heb ee et be Ee OUnGeS: 
Gently simmer the whole over a slow fire for an hour, then 
strain and squeeze the ointment through a coarse cloth. 
Let it cool, and after washing and wiping the head 
thoroughly dry, rub a little into the parts affected, night and 
morning. Keep the bowels open by giving Infants’ Soothing 
