POISON IVY AND POISON OAK Sumac, Etc.—When poisoned from these plants an irritating rash ap pears and is frequently accompanied by a painful swelling of the parts affected. A strong solution of bak ing soda is good. Zinc ointment is also recommended, or in the absence of these plain vaseline is good. Sev eral authorities recommend bathing the parts two or three times a day with sweet spirits of niter.
Foreign Bodies in the Nose.— Blow the nose hard while holding the opposite nostril closed. Excite sneez ing by tickling the nose or by giving snuff. Instruct the patient to take a full breath and close the mouth, then give u, sharp blow on the back be tween the shoulders. The best way to remove a foreign body is with a syringe, but this should be done by an experienced physician.
Foreign Bodies in the Throat.— An obstruction can generally be car ried down by swallowing pieces of bread or potato slightly masticated, or, better still, a raw egg, fresh from the shell and with its original con sistency broken as little as possible.
Slapping on the back sometimes helps. Sometimes the obstruction will go down too far to be reached by the fingers. In such cases copious draughts of water should be swal lowed rapidly, and if this fails to re move it, give mustard water, or any other emetic. Should vomiting fail to bring up the obstruction, then me chanical means must be tried. Take a long spoon, bend it slightly, make the patient throw his head well back, and push the handle boldly down the throat. If it is kept well to the back of the throat no harm can be done. The same operation may more conveniently be performed by a bit of sponge attached to a piece of whalebone. Occasionally, sub stances will get into such d, position in the throat as to necessitate a surgical operation.