The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-12
Home Nursing
The Old. .Fashioned Poultice


 "I think if I had a nice warm poul- tice on my side I would feel lot better" said the man who was suffer ing more than he liked to admit, and trying to bear with the efforts of his wife to apply hot lamentations. take care of three small children and do the housework.
 'SThe doctor said poultice would be better than lamentations because it would stay warm longer" agreed his wife. But I never made a poul- tice in my life and I don't know how"
 "well-you just stir up little lin- seed meal with some hot water and fold it in between some cheese-cloth and slap it on," said her husband. attempt ing to explain what he believed to be the simple art of poultice-making.
 His wife "stirred up some linseed meal with some hot water" By the time she got the mixture safely placed between layers of cheese-cloth it was almost cold and very wet and steamy.
 She looked at it with disapprcval. When her. husband tried to apply 1t most of the poultice fell into the bed because his wife had not known how to fold the mixture into the cheese-cloth in order to avoid just such q mishap.
 So she had the extra trouble of put ting a clean sheet on the bed and gath ering up the remains of tho ponltice. When she got back to the kitchen the saucepan in which she had mixed the poultice was gummed over with q sticky hardened substance which was most difficult to get off. The residence of Linseed poulices dries very quickly. The pan in which poultices are made should be put to soak immediately in warm water if one wishes to save te- dious dishwashing. However, if the poultice is properly made it should turn out of the pan practically dry.
 To make poultice, one requires some soft substance which when mixed into paste with water will retain heat for some time. Poultices will retain taken to change them while they are still warm. They often make it pos sible for the patient to get some sleep heat for an hour, but care should be after the pain is relieved. Fomenta- tions, to achieve good. should be changed every twenty minutes or half hour. A doctor will often order poul- tices when he wishes heat applied be- cause they are less trouble to the home nurse than lamentations. A.
 A poultice should be made as one makes porridge. Have the water boil ing bfisklS in saucepan. One and a half pints or three cupfuls is usually enough water. Into this sprinkle slow ly, stirring meanwhile with a knife, enough linseed or flaxseed meal to make mixture almost like porridge, but still thin enough to drop from the knife, like cake batter. When it boils briskly remove the pan from the fire, add a teaspoonful of baking soda (this will make the mixture foam up, so use large panJ and beat the poultice hard to get air, into it and prevent it being heavy and seggy. It should be very hot and light and dry.
 With a hot knife spread the poultice mixture into the desired size, then fold the muslin oyer, keeping the mixture at least two inches from the edge of the muslin;. and fold these edges in. Wrap in hot towel and carry to the patient. Apply the poultice carefully to avoid burning the skin, cover it with square of flannel, and if necessary, apply a body binder to keep it from clipping.