Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/2096

1886 spread the pulp thickly between two pieces of muslin or clean old linen, and apply hot, with one or two thicknesses of clean old rag outside to keep the heat in.

Cut a slice of crumb of bread the size required out of a stale loaf, put it in a warmed basin, and pour boiling water over it; leave it for a few minutes, covered with a plate, to soak. Then drain off all the water, spread the poultice on a piece of soft linen rag, and apply it as hot as it can be borne. It is much neater and generally as efficacious to wrap the poultice up in fine muslin, so that the bread does not adhere to the skin, and the whole may be removed without any mess. Rag must be placed outside in either case, to keep the heat in.

First scald out a basin; then, having put in some boiling water, throw in coarsely-crumbled bread, and cover it with a plate. When the bread has soaked up as much water as it will imbibe, drain off the remaining water, and a light pulp will be left. Spread this a third of an inch thick on folded linen, and apply it when of the temperature of a warm bath. To preserve it moist, occasionally drop warm water on it.

A linseed poultice being always needed hot, care should be taken that it is made so. Put the meal into the oven to heat for a quarter of an hour, and scald out with boiling water the basin in which it is to be mixed. Have also in readiness 2 plates in the oven, and a piece of tow, pulled to shape, or a portion of old linen, upon which to spread the poultice. Into the basin put as much linseed as will be required, and pour on boiling water, stirring vigorously with a knife, until the mass is of the consistency of thick porridge. Then turn the contents of the basin out upon the tow or linen, spread the linseed to an even thickness, and turn the edges of the tow or linen in as quickly as possible. Roll your poultice up and place it between the 2 hot plates to carry to the patient. Having put it on the patient, cover it with cotton wool or flannel to retain the heat as long as possible.

This most useful application is made in a variety of ways. The simplest, the cleanest, and most efficacious for ordinary purposes, we believe to be the following: Take a piece of soft flannel, dip it in