Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

464 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTbreeding-ground for germs. That can be preventedby the addition of a good non-irritant antiseptic.The advantage of a poultice over a fomentationis that it holds the heat longer, and so does not requireconstant renewing. Its function is to bringthe pus near the surface where it can readily beopened. Deep lancing entails more risk of generalinfection, besides being dangerous in the neighborhoodof large blood-vessels.As soon as the first evidence of pus appears, openthe boil with a thin blade that has been held for amoment in a flame to sterilize it. Cleanse boththe cavity and the adjacent skin with a strong antiseptic,and cover with a sterilized dressing, to berenewed frequently. Press out the core as soonas it will come.If the least trace of pus is allowed to remain onthe skin, there is danger that other hair follicles maybe infected, from which a crop of boils would result.Abscess, Felon.—Treatment is similar to thatof a boil, but, after an abscess has been opened andcleaned, a strip of sterilized gauze should be lightlypacked in the opening to afford drainage and keepthe wound from closing prematurely. This drainshould be renewed twice a day, with thorough antisepticcleansing all around. The pus is deadly.Be careful that none of it gets on your skin oran3^thing else but the fire where it belongs.(Poison Oak, Poison Sumac).Ivy PoisoningWe have three species of plants that secrete anoil which poisons human beings (no other animals)by contact. Most virulent of these is the poisonsumac or "poison elder" {Rhus vernix), which isdistinguished from other sumacs by bearing a whitefruit like thin clusters of very small grapes, andby its leaf, the edge of which is smooth instead ofnotched.The so-called poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron)is readily told from the harmless Virginia creeperbv having three leaves, instead of five, and fromthe wild bean vine by its lack of conspicuous flowers—