Herbal Poultices

Poultices were often used in healing in the 17th century and are still used today. A poultice is basically a mash of herbs, clay, activated charcoal, salts, or other beneficial substances placed on the skin. The herb is harvested, washed, and made into a thick paste by crushing it with a mortar and pestle or between rocks.

A small amount of hot or cold water is added to the crushed herb to help form a paste—hot water to help draw out infection or remove an abscess, cold water to reduce inflammation. Sometimes the poultice is placed directly on the skin. Other times it is wrapped in a thin piece of fabric and applied. Cheesecloth or thin, organic cotton work well, because they don’t absorb too much liquid and are thin enough to allow the herb indirect contact with the skin.

In The Scottish Rogue, Evelyn and Cat use poultices in their healing, and I’ve listed a couple recipes below.

Keep these basic cautions in mind:

Clean the infected area first.

Poultices should be used for only one application. Afterward, they should be discarded.

Do not apply poultices to large or open wounds.

Some ingredients can irritate and cause blistering. Do not apply the following herbs directly to the skin: cayenne, mustard, onion, and garlic.

If redness occurs, remove the poultice and wash area.

Poultice for Aiden’s burns:

Mash comfrey, slippery elm or chickweed with some cool water or vinegar.

Apply to burn and wrap cloth around it.

Poultice for treating cuts when a Highlander and an Englishman battle:

A raw potato poultice (just grate a raw potato) works well to draw an infection out of a wound, but potatoes were not grown in Scotland until the 18th century, so they aren’t mentioned in my books.

Fresh yarrow can be chopped and applied directly to a cut to help the wound stop bleeding. Wipe pure honey on the cleaned wound and wrap. Change two to three times a day. A chamomile poultice can reduce pain and inflammation (an easy way to do this is with soaked chamomile tea bags).

There are many websites and books out about natural healing, which will give other suggestions for poultices. Make sure to use home remedies with caution, and see a doctor for serious medical issues.

Happy Healing! Heather

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