Читать книгу Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies - David Hoffmann - Страница 45

When an infection has given rise to pleurisy or developed into pneumonia, the most important thing is to treat the person for fever, thus helping the whole body and specifically the chest. To this end diaphoretics are invaluable, usually combined with respiratory demulcents. Boneset, Cayenne, Comfrey Root, Hyssop, Garlic, Pleurisy Root and Mullein will be found especially useful. Choose the appropriate ones, depending on the condition of the whole body and combine them into an infusion.

In addition to this internal help, pleurisy is a condition where a poultice or a compress is called for. A poultice made from Flaxseed is excellent in chest complaints:

Take a handful of Flaxseed and stir thoroughly with boiling water, until it reaches the consistency of thick paste. Spread the paste about 1 centimetre (1/2 inch) thick on linen, leaving the sides of the linen free from Flaxseed and avoiding lumps forming. Apply it as hot as possible, covering the whole chest, and leave it on for two hours. Renew it some hours later or the next day. After removing the poultice, sponge the area with warm water, then dry well. To increase its power, sprinkle some Mustard powder on the poultice, but do not use Mustard for young children or those with sensitive skin.

Alternatively, a compress using an infusion of Cayenne may be of value. See section on Preparation of Herbs.