Page 289 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Bleach

Bleach is a good disinfectant for most household sur- fresh water. Pat dry. Apply lotions, emollients, or med-
faces. It kills most bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Use it to ications after a bath. Repeat two to three times weekly,
sanitize surfaces in treatment areas, disinfect laundry, or as needed.
decontaminate blood spills, and disinfect equipment.
In addition, it has medicinal uses for treating skin. Sanitizing Water for Drinking: Unscented
bleach is suitable for sanitizing water for drinking pur-
Medicinal Use. Bed Sores, Diabetic Ulcers, poses. Add two drops of bleach per quart (liter) of wa-
Eczema, and Inflammatory Skin Condi- ter or 8 drops of bleach per gallon (4 liters) of water.
tions: Soaking skin in a very dilute bleach solution is Stir thoroughly and allow it to sit for at least one hour
effective to treat bed sores, diabetic ulcers, eczema, before drinking. If the water is cloudy, filter it before
and other inflammatory skin conditions. Use one ta- adding the chlorine. This treatment kills most bacteria
blespoon of regular strength bleach per gallon (per 4 and viruses found in water, but may not kill all. It does
liters) of water. The bleach solution is dilute enough not remove chemicals or other toxins from water.
not to harm the skin while calming inflammation and Using Bleach for Disinfecting: For disinfecting
killing bacteria on the skin. Do not use undiluted surfaces, use a higher concentration of bleach: 1/4 to
bleach or bleach in higher concentrations. I prefer 3/4 cup of bleach added to 1 gallon (4 liters) of water
herbal medicine to bleach but it is a good remedy to (1 to 3 tablespoons per quart (liter) of water). Let the
know. You can also follow up a bleach treatment with bleach water stand on the surface for at least 2
soothing herbal oils specific to your condition and minutes, then wipe dry or allow to air dry. This solu-
needs. tion needs to be made fresh daily.

For a full 40-gallon (151 Liters) tub, use ½ cup of Warning: Do not use undiluted bleach or high con-
household bleach in warm water. Soak in the water for centrations of bleach directly on the skin. Bleach can
five to ten minutes, then rinse the skin completely with
cause dryness of skin irritations. Do not use with pa-
tients who have an allergy to chlorine.

Boric Acid

Boric acid is useful for a number of different pur- Usual dose is 600mg of boric acid per suppository.
poses. It is especially effective for treating fungal in- Stuff the boric acid into a size “00” gelatin capsule
fections of all kinds. Boric acid is not the same as bo- and place the cap on it securely. Insert one supposi-
rax. For medicinal use, always use therapeutic grade tory into the vagina every night just before bed. Pa-
or pharmaceutical grade boric acid. Boric acid is a tients should be warned that they may experience ir-
white crystalline acid (H3BO3) containing boron. It ritation or a burning sensation, but it will quickly
is sometimes called hydrogen borate or orthoboric pass. There will also be a discharge. Use one suppos-
acid. It is usually used as a dry powder, although it itory each night for one week if this is an isolated
can be mixed with water to make a dilute acid for yeast infection. If a person has been having problems
sanitizing purposes. Boric acid should never be with recurring infections, use the suppository every
taken orally. night for two weeks and then continue using one
suppository twice a week for a year. This long-term
Medicinal Use. Treating Yeast Infections: use kills off the roots of the infection before it can re-
Boric acid suppositories are an excellent treatment infect the person.
for vaginal yeast infections. They are particularly
useful for treating people who have had multiple As an Eyewash: Boric acid makes an easy eye-
yeast infections that keep returning because the bo- wash for treating even serious and contagious eye in-
ric acid can be used regularly as a preventative once fections. It can also be used for minor eye irritations
the infection is cured. and common childhood infections such as pink eye
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