A mustard poultice is made by mixing two thirds of mustard flour and one third of wheaten flour with warm water or vinegar, in sufficient quantity to render the powder of the consistence of paste.  It is then spread on linen from the size of a half-crown to that of the palm of the hand, according to the effect intended, and placed on the skin.  How long it is to be kept on will depend upon the individual sensibility of the skin of the child; but, in general, from fifteen to twenty minutes will be found amply sufficient.  The application, however, must at all times be carefully watched; for if it remain on too long, ulceration, and death of the part, might ensue; therefore, directly the skin is found tolerably red, the poultice should be removed.  After its removal, the part may be exposed, or, if very painful, smeared over with fresh cream or common cerate.

A bread and water poultice, although one of the commonest applications in use, is rarely well made or properly applied.  It thus becomes injurious rather than useful; adding to the inflammation or irritation of the part, instead of soothing and allaying it.  Nothing, however, is more simple than the mode of its preparation.

Cut slices of stale bread of sufficient quantity, scald out a bason, put the bread into it, pour upon it boiling water, cover it over, and let it stand for ten minutes; next strain the water oft, gently squeeze the saturated bread in a thin cloth, so that the poultice shall not be too moist, and then spread it upon a cloth so that it shall be in thickness half an inch, and of a size large enough to cover the whole of the inflamed part, and a little more.  Apply it just warm enough to be borne, and cover it well with oiled silk.  A poultice thus made, will act as a local tepid bath to the inflamed part; and the oiled silk preventing evaporation, it will be found, when taken off, as moist as the first moment that it was put on.

Sect.  VI.—­Baths.

Baths are much resorted to during infancy and childhood, both in health and in disease.  In the former state, they constitute an important measure of hygeiene (this has been briefly alluded to under the section “Bathing"), and in the latter, a valuable remedial agent.  Their indiscriminate use, however, might be followed by serious consequences; it is therefore important to point out a few rules for their judicious employment.

THE COLD WATER PLUNGE BATH.

It consists of water in its natural degree of heat; its temperature varying, according to the season of the year or other circumstances, from 30 degrees to 60 degrees.