Gentlemen, with the cold dash you may easily,
"While others meanly take whole months to slay, Produce a cure in half a summer's day."--DR. DICKSON.
440. _Beverage for Fevers._--Boil two drachms of powdered alum in a pint of milk, and strain. The draught is a wine-glassful.
441. _Mustard Poultices._--Make a bag of the size required of fine, close muslin; mix equal quantities of mustard and flour, (or a larger proportion of mustard, should the case require it), with boiling water, until of a proper consistency. Fill the bag with it; sew it up, and, covering it with a handkerchief or piece of clean, soft linen, apply it to the part affected. When it has been on long enough, take it off, and lay on another piece of soft linen.
442. _Bread Poultice._--Mr. Abernethy directs a bread and water poultice to be made as follows:--Put half a pint of hot water into a pint basin; add to this as much of the crumb of bread as the water will cover, then place a plate over the basin, and let it remain about ten minutes; stir the bread about in the water, or, if necessary, chop it a little with the edge of a knife, and drain off the water, by holding the knife on the top of the basin, but do not press the bread as is usually done; then take it out lightly, spread it about one-third of an inch thick on some soft linen, and lay it upon the part. If it be a wound, you may place a bit of lint dipped in oil beneath the poultice. There is nothing better than the bread poultice for broken surfaces.
443. _Linseed Poultice._--Is made by simply mixing linseed meal into a paste with hot water.
444. _Management of Blisters._--Spread the plaster thinly on paper or linen, and rub over it a few drops of olive oil. In this way the blister acts speedily, and with less irritation than usual.
445. _Simple Ointment._--This is made by melting in a pipkin, by the side of the fire, without boiling, one part of yellow or white wax, and two parts of hog's lard or olive oil.
446. _Spermaceti Ointment._--This consists of a quarter of an ounce of white wax, three-quarters of an ounce of spermaceti, and three ounces of olive oil, melted as before. This is the common dressing for a blister.
447. _Elder-flower Ointment._--This is the mildest, blandest, and most cooling ointment which can be used; and it is very suitable for anointing the face or neck when sun-burnt. It is made of fresh elder-flowers, stripped from the stalks, two pounds of which are simmered in an equal quantity of hog's-lard till they become crisp; after which, the ointment, whilst fluid, is strained through a coarse sieve.