POULTICES
POULTICES.—The old-fashioned poultice was used in practically all homes and in most countries up to a generation or so ago and in many homes during the past generation; it is still used to an appreciable though less extent. In fact, many doctors, especially in rural districts, still prescribe ii. There are the alum, the bread, the bread-and-milk, the charcoal, the clay, the flaxseed, the linseed, the molasses, and the mustard poultices; also those of carrot, lobelia, yeast, tobacco, and other substances. The writer believes, however, that these messy and inconvenient applications are inferior to hot com¬presses or fomentations. Poultices are, in fact, compresses made with some ingredient other than plain water.
One ad¬vantage that they have is that they hold heat for some time; another is that, when made of certain substances, they are locally stimulating to the skin. But the compress covered with flannel and, perhaps, some impervious material (the protected heating compress), or the compress kept hot with the hot-water bottle, will answer every purpose of the poultice and save inconvenience and uncleanliness. Also there will be less likelihood of blistering the skin. See Fomentations, Heating Compress, under Compresses, Mustard Fomentations.