8.  Sore Throat, Gargle and Local Application for.—­

“Common salt 2 tablespoonfuls
Strained honey 2 tablespoonfuls
Vinegar 3 tablespoonfuls
Camphor 1/2 teaspoonful”

Use as a gargle.  External applications, wring a cloth out of salt and cold water and keep it quite wet, bind tightly about the neck and cover with a dry cloth.  It is best to use this at night.”

9.  Mild Sore Throat, Vinegar Gargle for.—­“Gargle with vinegar and hot water.  This will help to sooth the irritation and in a mild sore throat is a sure cure.”

10.  Sore Throat, Alum and Vinegar for.—­“One glass of warm water; one tablespoonful of vinegar; one teaspoonful of sugar; one-half teaspoonful of alum; dissolve well and gargle throat several times daily.”

11.  Sore Throat, Kerosene for.—­“Dip a flannel cloth in coal oil, (kerosene) and bind on the throat.  I have tried this; in fact it is what I always use.  It is almost sure to cure.”

12.  Sore Throat and Cough, Remedy always at hand.—­“Equal parts of alcohol and glycerin make a good gargle, or use three tablespoonfuls of vinegar and one of salt to a tumbler of water.  Or simply hot water and salt when nothing else is to be had.  The hot water alone is very good.”

13.  Tickling in Throat, Simple Remedy for.—­“Take bread crumbs and swallow them.”

Physicians’ treatment for Sore Throat.—­1.  Inhalation of steam either with or without medicine is good. (See treatment of tonsilitis-Inhaling steam) I treated a man once who had a terrific pharyngitis, All the parts were so terribly swollen, that he was unable to swallow or talk.  I induced him to inhale steam from a teakettle.  He was able to put his mouth over the spout of the kettle and he was relived in a few minutes.  I think it saved his life.  I put no medicine in the water for that case.  Very few persons can inhale the steam directly from the kettle.  Other method is given under tonsilitis.  A dose of salts at first is good.  Remain in the house for a few days.

2.  Sulphur and Cream for.—­Mix some sulphur with cream and put some of it on the sore membrane.

3.  Good Old Mother’s Remedy.—­“Steep a medium sized red pepper in one-half pint of water, strain and add one-fourth pint of good vinegar and a heaping teaspoonful each of salt and powdered alum and gargle with it as often as needed.  This is a very good remedy.”

[24 Mothers’ remedies]

1.  Physicians’ Local Treatment.—­A wet compress on the neck is useful at the onset.  Sucking ice or gargling with ice or cold water, or applying an ice bag to the throat will be found useful.

Later on, warm gargles and steam inhalation are more grateful.  If there is great pain in swallowing, cocaine painted on the throat or sucking a cocaine lozenge before taking food will be found very useful.

2.  When the attack is mild medicine may not be needed.  When there is fever and the throat is real sore, you can use one drop doses of tincture of aconite every hour.  This will frequently check it.