3.  Piles, Good Salve for.—­“Red precipitate two and one-half drams, oxide of zinc one dram, best cosmoline three ounces, white wax one ounce, camphor gum one dram.”  It is much better to have this salve made by a druggist, as it is difficult to mix at home.  This it a splendid salve and very good for inflammation.

4.  Piles, Smartweed Salve for.—­“Boil together two ounces of fresh lard and half an ounce smartweed root.  Apply this to the piles three or four times a day.”  This is very healing, and has been known to cure in many cases when taken in the early stages.

5.  Piles, the Cold Water Cure for.—­“Take about a half pint of cold water and use as an injection every morning before trying to have a movement of the bowels.”  This simple treatment has cured many cases where the stronger medicines did not help.

6.  Piles, Simple Application and Relief from.—­“Mix together one tablespoonful plain vaselin and one dram flower of sulphur.  Apply three times daily and you will get relief.”

7.  Piles, Steaming with Chamomile Tea for.—­“A tea made of chamomile blossoms and used as a sitz bath is excellent; after using the sitz bath use vaselin or cold cream and press rectum back gently.”

[148 Mothers’ remedies]

Physicians’ treatment for Piles.—­What to do first.—­The palliative treatment of both varieties of external piles is the same.  In all cases the patient should lie flat on his back in bed and remain there for a few days.  Highly seasoned foods and stimulants, tea, coffee, whisky, wine, etc., must be discarded.  Secure a daily half liquid stool by the use of small doses of salts, Hunyadi or Abilena water.  Cleansing the parts with weak castile soap water is essential to allay the pain, reduce the inflammation and soothe the sphincter muscle; cold, or if it is more agreeable, hot applications may be kept constantly on the parts.  Hot fomentations of hops, smartweed, wormwood, or poultice of flaxseed, or slippery elm, or bread and milk give almost instant relief in many cases; while in others soothing lotions, and ointments or suppositories are needed.

The lead and laudanum wash is always reliable.

Lead and Laudanum Wash.—­

Solution of Subacetate of Lead       4 drams
Laudanum                            20 drams
Distilled water enough to make       4 ounces

Mix thoroughly and apply constantly ice cold on cotton to the sore parts.

The following ointments, lotions, and suppositories to be used freely within the bowels and to the piles, are effective in relieving the pain, reducing inflammation and diminishing pain and spasm in the sphincter.

1.  Ointment of Stramomium 1-1/2 drams
      Ointment of Belladonna 2-1/2 drams
      Ointment of Tannic Acid 1/2 ounce

Mix thoroughly and apply inside and outside the anus.

2.  Camphor Gum 1 dram
      Calomel 12 grains
      Vaselin 1 ounce