Home Remedies for Summer Maladies

Health, Home & Family, Outdoors
on July 2, 2000
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Baseball, barbecues, gardens, and swimming pools. Bug bites, poison ivy, sunburn, and heat rash. There is no free lunch.

The good news is that the down-sides of summer rarely require a doctor, and the better news is that remedies needn't be costly. Often they can be found in the medicine cabinet, kitchen, refrigerator or ice chest. If a condition is severe, however, or worsens after applying a remedy, seek medical treatment immediately. And before using these remedies, clean the affected area thoroughly with soap and water.

Insect Bites:

  • Combine water with either baking soda, salt, or mud to make a paste. Apply to the bite and let it dry.
  • Rub on equal parts of lemon and vinegar.
  • Moisten an aspirin and dab it on.
     

Bee or Wasp Stings: Call a doctor if the sting occurred in the mouth or nose.

  • Scrape out the stinger with a dull-edged flat object, such as a credit card or Popsicle stick.
  • Alternate ice with a raw potato, which reduces inflammation.
  • Mix vinegar and salt and apply.
  • Spray with deodorant that contains aluminum chloride to prevent skin irritation.
  • Rub with the juice of crushed rhubarb, which acts as an astringent, to reduce toxic effects.
  • Smother with wet tobacco.
     

Poison Ivy:

  • Take a bath of water and one-half cup of baking soda or oatmeal.
  • Cover the area with white shoe polish. It contains pipe clay, with effects similar to calamine.
  • Rub with the inside of a banana peel each hour to soothe itching.
  • Squeeze on fresh lemon juice or boiled, chopped garlic.
     

Heat Rash:

  • Sit in a tepid bath containing one-half cup of baking soda, oatmeal, cornstarch, or dried mustard.
  • Cover body with cool wash cloths—for up to 10 minutes.
     

Sunburn:

  • Sit in a cool oatmeal bath.
  • Wrap up in a cool, wet towel.
  • Apply a paste of cornstarch and water.
  • Rub with one part vinegar, three parts water.
  • Dab with sour cream or yogurt for a cool, healing sensation.
  • Cover with raw cucumbers or potatoes.
     

Swimmer's Ear:

  • Put two or three drops of one of the following in each ear after swimming: hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, alcohol, mineral oil, or baby oil.
     

Scrapes:

  • Cover with a bandage and apply pressure to stop bleeding.
  • Apply wet green tea bags on the cut.
  • Once bleeding stops, mix one-half ounce of iodine with 5 ounces of sugar (not powdered) and apply.