In those days, the doctor came to your home so I do not remember too many visits but enough to remember his name & I can remember his features. What I do remember is my father shoving Vicks up my nose, under my nose, shove it down my throat, rub it on my chest & between my “wings” on my back, then cover my chest with his handkerchief and fasten it with a safety pin at the neck placing it under my top or pajamas. I do not remember getting Mustard Plaster treatments as an older child. I remember I had to lay on the countertop for awhile, possibly until it cooled off. Mother then placed a Muslin cloth on my chest & applied the mustard plaster. She would lay me flat on the counter top with no top on. My mother did this Mustard Plaster on me several time that I can recall. When I was young during the late 50’s & early 60’s this was a common practice. Have you never seen Anne of Green Gables? You’re missing out! It’s one of my favorites! □ This is a remedy that Anne on Anne of Green Gables used on Minnie Mae when she had severe croup. This is a very effective remedy for breaking up congestion, but you have to be sure you don’t burn the skin – use the olive oil on the chest first! Don’t place the plaster directly on the skin and then blame me if you get “burned”. If you have sensitive skin, only use the plaster for 20-30 minutes at a time. Leave this on the chest all day or overnight as long as the skin isn’t becoming irritated.It’s very important to check the plaster from time to time to make sure it isn’t burning the skin.You don’t have to place a hot towel on the paste, but this will help the mustard seed to stay warm and effective. Place this paste on the chest and cover with a hot wet towel. Be sure to place a thin layer of olive oil on the chest before you put the paste on to help keep the plaster from “burning” the skin.Stir in enough hot water to make a thick paste.1/4 cup mustard powder (you can also grind mustard seeds into powder yourself, which would make a stronger and even more effective poultice).How To Make a Mustard Plaster for Congestion This simple remedy truly works! It’s another easy thing you can keep on hand to help your family’s well being. Mustard has rubefacient properties, which means it increases blood circulation, perspiration, and heat to the area of skin where it is administered. Yes, I’m talking about the common kitchen spice! They are often used to treat common colds, runny noses, rheumatism and problems with the respiratory system.When any kind of chest congestion is present, making a mustard plaster is one option of breaking it up. It is a common belief there that mustard plasters stimulate the immune system, relieve pain and also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Mustard plasters are common in Russia and other Post-Soviet states, and France (paper sinapism of Dr Paul Jean Rigollot). Black mustard should not be used in patients with ulcers, venous problems, or kidney disease. Mustard plasters should not be used on children under the age of 6. Some old sources suggest that the mustard powder be blended with egg white rather than water to prevent blistering of the skin. This is then spread on a layer of cotton or flannel cloth and placed on the body. The actual mustard paste never comes in direct contact with the skin, just the cloth on which it is spread.Ī typical mustard plaster recipe includes powdered mustard (amounts vary from recipe to recipe) and flour combined with water or egg white. A mustard plaster should never be left on for longer than 30 minutes. Leaving a mustard plaster on the bare skin for too long will lead to burning, blisters, or potentially even ulcers. Breathing the vapors of a mustard plaster can trigger sneezing, coughing, asthma attacks, or eye irritation. Mustard oil irritates mucous membranes therefore, excessive internal use has been known to cause stomach problems and kidney irritation. Applied externally, black mustard is used in the treatment of bronchial pneumonia and pleurisy. The mustard paste itself should never make contact with the skin. In times past and present, the mixture was spread onto a cloth and applied to the chest or back. A mustard plaster is a poultice of mustard seed powder spread inside a protective dressing and applied to the chest or abdomen to stimulate healing.
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