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By Root 907 0

as the liquid in which a fomentation is soaked and laid on the injury The injury is to be immobilized immediately and the fomentations are to be renewed frequently. Once the acute stage has run its course, one can apply warm poultices made of Comfrey root and Onion to give deeper action to assist the healing. Sprains can continue to trouble the individual long after the acute stages of the injury have passed. This is a good time to administer hot foot and leg baths or hot hand and arm bath, depending on the nature and location of the injury. These baths should be enjoyed for 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

Foxglove Fomentation

Foxglove (Digitalis) is a common garden plant that is toxic when taken internally, but is quite safe and useful when used externally as a moist compress. Dr. Rudolf Weiss, in his excellent book, Herbal Medicine, introduces this technique, which has been found to be of great value in promoting the healing of wounds that tend to persist for long periods of time. Foxglove leaves applied as a hot compress enhance the peripheral circulation of the skin and promote wound healing, especially those wounds that appear to be healing very slowly or not at all, such as chronic skin ulcers. I have found that a daily cup of herb tea made up of 1 part Comfrey root, 2 parts Burdock root, sweetened to taste, is a powerful adjunct for this task. Never drink a tea of Foxglove, however!

Poppy Fomentation

To help diminish pain, there is nothing as congenial than a hot fomentation made of dried Oriental Poppy (Papaver somnifera) heads. Drop 10 or 15 of them in water and heat the water. When it is quite warm, but not to hot to touch, pick out and tear the soggy Poppy heads in half and drop them back into the pot. When you finish doing this, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the Poppy heads for 10 to 15 minutes. The solution will turn a rich honey brown color. Dip your flannel into the hot decoction, wring it out, shake up the wet flannel, and lay it lightly on the painful area. When the flannel has cooled to warm, replace it immediately with a second fomentation. Repeat this 4 or 5 times. Leave the last fomentation on and cover it with plastic. Lay a towel over it, place a hot water bottle on this, and cover everything with a warm blanket. Let the individual lie quietly for about half an hour or so. While he or she is lying there fomenting, massage his or her feet and scalp.

Castor Oil Fomentation (Hot Pack)

It has been said and I must concur that the Castor oil hot pack (hot fomentation) is, without doubt, the high monarch of all herbal compresses; it is the Mohammed Ali, the Florence Nightingale, the ’32 Ford Coup, the sensual Sultan of Swat of all poultices. I suggest that whenever you don’t know what else to do for an ailing acquaintance, treat them to a Castor oil hot pack.

Mind you, a Castor oil fomentation can be a bit messy to administer. It’s nothing a little attention to detail can’t handle, though. It can take a while to produce noticeable, long-range results, but acute experiences of deep relaxation and central nervous system bliss are always noticed immediately These are perfect experiences to initiate any healing journey

A Castor oil fomentation can relieve muscular and skeletal pain, but more importantly, it can relieve the deep pain stemming from fibroids, internal scar tissue, congested lymph nodes, ovarian cysts, and infections. A series of Castor oil fomentations can restore health by invigorating scarred tissue and any deficient and sluggish glands or visceral organs.

Castor oil, which is derived from the Castor bean (Ricinus communis), is so similar to the natural oils of the human body it is easily received by human tissues and it is able to assist in their rejuvenation. Following is an abbreviated list of therapeutic chores expected by the judicious application of Castor oil fomentations: calming of nervous irritability and aiding sleep, detoxification of tissues including the liver when needed; reduction and healing of cysts, warts, and other unwanted growths; alleviation of uterine disorders