The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-12
THE SALT PORK AND PINE PITCH
 TRADITION

Correspondent writes from down south:
 When my little girl cut her foot and in lection started, 1 began soaking 1t 'in not
 water and applying mercurochrome after
 wards. But all the neighbors insisted that
 treatment was worthless and brought over salt pork and pine pitch. After alternating
 these the infection got worse, so soaked
 the foot in hot water, which relieved It a
 lot.
 I let her put on bread and milk poul-
 tice. told her thought could deal with it myself, as had no faith in the neigh,
 bors' remedies. As a result they say
 shouldn't have children Tin. too ignor-
 ant to know how to take care of them.
 But the sore healed all right while l have
 noticed two cases of blood poison among
 the salt pork and pine pitch and the bread
 and milk poultice. advocates
 This fate of being ignorant evidently de- pends in which first thinks to so describe the other My own plan is to & call everybody every g- ,g- sufficiently wrought up to utter remarks about my ignorance. Why. in some of these health matters practically every one in the whole country is ignorant except me and a few others of the inteliigensia. As for the medical pro. fession, honestly, sometimes have a good mind to resign from 1t altogether ana "a oo so in aaminute, only I feel sorry for the poor doctors bowed by the weight of centuries of tradition and delusion, so stick and do all l cantto lift them up and show them the light.
 Angleworm paste, snake oil, split live chick en, fresh killed lamb applied while still warm, salt pork applied in the dark of the moon western mud and other SuDStanceS not men tionable here, are still employed by the peas- antry in the United States of America much as the correspondent describes Ill the great majority of cases of course these remedies faiI and often tragically, but the peasant mind is a simple one and soon forgcts. Now and then by fortuitous circumstance or coincidence recovery occurs in spite of such maltreatment and in such cases the American peasantry &C., claims the cure as a miracle and all the world hears about 1t. The neighbors who resented this mothers defense of her child against such superstitution were all inspired with the wish to achieve fame as the healer instrumental Tn the occurrence of such a miracle That is strong influence in human nature.
 think this mother resorted to the very best possible emergency treatment for the infected wound when she kept the foot soaking in hot water. and the water should be kept as hot as tolerable for at least an hour. Immerse the entire foot even if only the toe Is sore, or the entir hand and forearm even if oEly finger Is red and swollen. It Is not n bad plan to add some salt to the water, handful to the gallon. When the soaking has been carried on for an hour or longer, wrap the hand in many yards of cheese cloth and keep this moistened with the hot salt water, which should be poured on the dressing several times in the night. The dressing may be covered with rubber, oiled silk or waxed paper to keep clothing and bed clothing dry.
 Mercurochrome is second choice as first aid disinfectant or antiseptic, in my opinion. Common tincture of iodin, believe, Is the best remedy for such primary wound disinfection.