Poultice

Poultice, an application to diseased or painful parts, for the purpose of promoting suppuration, relieving pain, and stimulating or soothing the skin, according to circumstances. A poultice may be composed of any moist pulpy substance of sufficient consistence to retain the water without dripping or soaking through the flannel or linen covering in which it is generally applied. The making of a poultice well is a matter of some nicety, and unless the proper consistence is given to the mass the application is apt to do more harm than good. The linseed-meal poultice is the most easily made, and most satisfactory of all soothing applications. The meal is stirred gradually into a sufficient quantity of boiling water, placed in the bottom of a small basin or teacup, until a perfectly smooth pulp is formed of the proper consistence, and in quantity sufficient to cover completely, to the thickness of three-quarters of an inch, the whole painted part. The pulp is then spread on flannel, or poured into a flannel bag, and applied as soon as the heat will permit it to be borne. If it is to be applied to a wound, threatening abscess, &c., where a softening effect on the superficial tissues is desired, some oil should be smeared over the surface, and the poultice put directly in contact with the skin. If applied for pain, or some deeper inflammation where heat is chiefly needed, the oil is unnecessary, and the poultice should be enveloped in cotton-wool or in several layers of flannel. It can then be borne hotter, and will retain its heat longer. The bread and milk, or even bread and water or bran poultice, is also very good; as is also the oatmeal-porridge poultice, to which a little butter may be added with advantage. A spoonful or two of yeast may be added, if there are foul discharges, or charcoal may be used alone, or sprinkled on the surface of the poultice before it is applied, or it may be made with a non-irritating antiseptic lotion instead of plain water (e.g. corrosive sublimate, 1 to 2000). Carrot poultices are in great favour with the people in some parts of the country. Hemlock poultices, made of the fresh leaves, or of the dried leaves, with the aid of some powder of the leaves, form a valuable sedative application in painful diseases; and poppy-heads, or even opium, are sometimes infused in the water of which a poultice is made, for the same purpose. A stimulating poultice may be made by sprinkling oil of turpentine, or chloroform, or mustard in moderate quantity on the surface of any ordinary poultice. When considerable irritation of the skin in a short time is desirable, a mustard poultice is used. For the danger of poulticing the eye, see EYE, Vol. IV. p. 513.