Mustard Plaster.—This is made stronger, 1 to 2 to 3 parts meal.
Mustard leaves or Sinapisms may be bought at a drug store. They are no better than you can make. Use plasters.
Capsicum and Belladonna Plasters.—May be bought. In applying, heat the back of the plaster slightly; the face of the gauze is pulled off and the plaster placed where wanted. To remove soak first with alcohol.
Spice plaster.—Mix two teaspoonfuls each of ginger and cloves with a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful of flour, enough brandy or water to make a paste. Spread this between two layers of muslin.
For Turpentine and Mustard Stupes see above.
Tincture of iodine, chloroform and liniments are also counterirritants, also castor oil, and pure tartar emetic, and cartharides.
Cupping, Wet and Dry.—This is sometimes used to relieve inflammations of the eye, lung or kidney, or even muscular pains like lumbago. Wine-glasses will do as well as any you can buy.
Dry cupping.—Take a piece of wire, wrap a small piece of cotton about the end, dip this in alcohol, light it and swab the inside of the glass, remove and apply the glass. The heat causes the air to expand and it is driven off and the partial vacuum formed is filled by the skin and tissues over which the glass is placed. The edges of the cup must not be warm enough to burn the patient. Six or seven cups may be applied at one time and allowed to remain five minutes, after which they are removed by pressing the flesh around the edge and inserting the finger there so as to let in the air.
Linseed meal poultices can be applied afterwards to keep up the work begun.
Wet cupping.—Scrub the skin with hot water and soap, wash off with a five per cent (1-20) carbolic acid solution. Make a few cuts over the parts desired with a clean knife and apply the cup prepared in the way above directed. Remove the blood and check the bleeding, if necessary, by sponging. Place a pad on the part and hold this in place by a bandage or adhesive strap.