The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook_ A Home Manual - James Green [151]
Emollient, which by supplying warmth and moisture are useful for reducing pain and inflammation and assisting the ripening and suppurative (pus-generating) process. Emollient poultices can be made of Flaxseed meal (powdered Flaxseed), Oat meal, bran, bread, and milk, Plantain, Marshmallow root, or mashed vegetable materials such as Cabbage, Turnip, Potato, or Carrot.
Medicated, which are intended to exercise a specific influence on a part of the body, independent of warmth and moisture. These are made of any or a combination of a wide variety of medicinal plants, such as astringents, styptics and vulnerarles, anodynes, disinfectants, etc. They are used to penetrate and reduce enlarged or inflamed glands, eruptions, abscesses, lacerations, boils, etc.
If you feel uncomfortable with the ideas of self-medicating, I respectfully suggest that it is time to root out and possibly reconsider the beliefs that underlie these feelings.
Counter-irritant or repulsive, which, by inducing a local irritation or inflammation as they stimulate capillary dilation and action, cause skin redness. This counter-irritation draws stagnant blood and other materials from deeper tissues and organs to the surface, thereby relieving deeper congestion and inflammation. These poultices also act as derivatives which draw pustular materials from the body through the skin. These poultices are made using stimulating herbs such as Mustard, Ginger, Cayenne, Garlic, Rosemary, etc.
Optimally, medicated herbal poultices are prepared from fresh herbs which have been chewed, chopped, mashed, bruised, or blended in an electric blender and mixed with hot water, apple cider vinegar, or some other hot liquid. A blender suits us well for these preparations, for it is important to break up the cell walls in order to gain access to the properties contained in the plant juices.
Dry (dehydrated) herb that has been re-hydrated also can be used to make poultices. You can rehydrate a dehydrated herb by gently heating it in a little water, apple cider vinegar, milk, or other liquid that seems appropriate. Once the herb has absorbed the liquid and softened, it is ready to use for preparing a poultice in the same way that you would use a fresh plant.
A poultice can be used again and again during each session. However, it needs to be re-heated each time before reapplying.
A hot poultice should be applied as hot as can be borne. To test its temperature apply it to the back of your hand—it should feel hot, but comfortable. To prevent the rapid loss of heat, it is helpful to cover the poultice with a thick insulating cloth while it’s on your body,
First clean the area of the body by using a solution of 1 part apple cider vinegar to 1 part warm water, or simply soap and water; then a thin layer of vegetable oil is rubbed on the skin to protect it, and to prevent the poultice from sticking to the skin.
The vinegar-water mixture is also an especially good solution to use for washing and conditioning the area after the poultice has been removed.
MAKING A POULTICE
A Very Simple Poultice
1. Put powdered or chopped fresh herbal materials into a clean white cotton sock. Use two socks and alternate them.
2. Tie it at the top (tie it in a knot, or use string, or elastic).
3. Place this into a shallow bowl.
4. Pour enough hot water over the prefilled sock to soak the dry herb or heat the fresh herb.
5. With your hands, knead the wet sock until it is quite hot, yet bearable.
6. Apply this to the affected area until the poultice is cool.
7. Repeat steps 3 to 6 to reheat and reapply the poultice.
Emollient Poultice
A poultice for the eye can be quickly assembled by merely dropping a tea bag in hot water for an instant, long enough to