poul·tice play_w("P0486600")  (plts)  (from www.thefreedictionary.com)

My dh remembers his granny putting fat meat on a boil he had to 'draw' it to a head - he said it worked.  And my df says during his childhood years, it was a common practice to pour a little warm p** into the ear for an earache.  He said he tried not to complain when he got an earache, though!  Liz

I had ordered several cookbooks from Amazon (using a GC) with Depression Era recipes, stories, etc. There are several recipes for various poultices, home remedies, etc. Some of them are just plain gross!! lol

eyrehead:

Some of them are just plain gross!! lol

Yeah, some of them do sound rather putrid. My deceased FiL said that he swears it was skunk oil and goose grease applied by the country doctor on his brother's chest that cured his pneumonia and brought him back from the near dead. Then there are weird ones using manure. I'd pass on those too.

There are good ones that use onions, or herbs, or honey or other edibles that will do no harm. Teas often were used on the skin as much as drank as a hot beverage. Salves, rubs, liniments and extracts made with whiskey or brandy often were used in conjuction with the poultice. Considering the numerous side effects of modern medicines, something this simple looks safer and cheaper.

 Edey

Wow sometimes folk medicines work specially since Im dealing with a really painful boil at this time hot pads help and cool compresses and witchhazel for stand by when the boil goes (breaks open ) useing that helps clean the wound I learned that from the old depression earra books they are helpful...:)

I have a great herb book called Growing 101 Herbs That Heal, and it explains how to make poultices, salves, infused oils, liniments, tinctures and more.  For some reason I've never gotten around to making most of these, but I did make a spearmint "poultice" recently to put on my dog's smelly feet.  (Really, his feet can sometimes smell like dirty old socks!!)  Didn't work tho, and he didn't like me messing with his feet.

Great thread. I have an old housekeeping/cookbook from 1894. While I haven't found the poultice or plaster remedies yet, there are some other recipes or directions for various ailments in this book. (The best gift I have gotten). Especially giving details on taking care of an invalid, or sick person, and what foods they should eat for different things. If I find any I will post them here.

Kathy

 I used to get awful infected ingrown toenails when I was a child.  My grandmother would mix turpentine with lard, apply to the infected area, and cover with a bandage.  This was supposed to draw out the infection.  Unfortunately, it never worked very well and I'd end up going to the doctor for antibiotics and then have it cut out.

Turpentine, kerosene and coal oil were used for several different remedies. I would wonder about their safety though, wouldn't they be poisonous? I remember reading about them being used to swab out the throat when someone had congestion in serious cases. My T-gel shampoo has coal tar derivatives in it, and I water it down anyway, so it isn't so strong and thick, plus to make it last longer.  Edey