Oilskin

“ It is also used as an enema; two to four ounces of the oil or meal given daily in mash often suffices to maintain the bowels in a relaxed condition throughout febrile attacks, where there is a tendency to constipation. An ounce or two of oil given daily often relieves broken wind in horses. For burns and scalds the well known carron oil, composed of equal parts of linseed oil and lime water, cannot be surpassed. This oil is also used as a vehicle for acrid medicines and to act as a protective to the alimentary tract in poisoning of corrosive medicines, also to sweep them out. ”

“ The oil or water that is drawn from the end of the green sticks heated in the fire, helps the tooth-ache. The juice of young branches made into an ointment of old hog’s grease, and anointed, or the young branches bruised and heated in oil or hog’s grease, and laid to the sides pained by wind, as in stitches, or the spleen, ease them in once or twice using it. The same boiled in oil is the safest and surest medicine to kill lice in the head or body of any; and is an especial remedy for joint aches, and swollen knees, that come by the falling down of humours. ”

“ The thorough manipulation of the skin which is necessary in applying the oil, and which is facilitated by a lubricant, directly promotes cutaneous activity. Whether the oil itself has any direct effect in increasing the functional activity of the skin cannot be positively affirmed, although it is reasonably supposable that the skin will act more nearly normal when a deficient element is supplied than when it is wanting. Oil is an excellent non-conductor; and invalids who are especially susceptible to cold may be rendered comfortable by the application of the oil bath. ”

“ To properly preserve the hair it requires to be occasionally oiled, and the scalp to be frequently cleansed. Pomades and oils serve for the former purpose, and hair tonics for the latter. For the preparation of pomades, fats, such as lard, beef-tallow, and beef-marrow, are principally used, though cocoa butter, cocoanut oil, castor oil, almond oil, spermaceti, and wax, and, more recently, vaseline are also employed. For the preparation of hair oils, fat oils, especially olive oil and almond oil are used, but also poppy oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, etc. ”

“ That the oil is effectual only in the forming state of the disease; 2. That the friction which is used with it contributes to excite the torpid vessels of the skin; and 3. That it acts chiefly by depleting from the pores of the body. From the unity of the remedy of depletion, it is probable purging or bleeding might be substituted to the expensive parade of the sweat induced by the warm oil, and the smoke of odoriferous vegetables. But I must not conceal here, that there are facts which favour an idea, that oil produces a sedative action upon the blood-vessels, through the medium of the skin. ”

“ In truth, a mature man who uses hair-oil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere. As a general rule, he can’t amount to much in his totality.
But the only thing to be considered here, is this—what kind of oil is used at coronations? Certainly it cannot be olive oil, nor macassar oil, nor castor oil, nor bear’s oil, nor train oil, nor cod-liver oil. What then can it possibly be, but sperm oil in its unmanufactured, unpolluted state, the sweetest of all oils? ”

“ In certain parts of the skin they are especially numerous, as on the nose, head, ears, and back of the shoulders. The unctuous matter which is secreted by these oil glands is intended to keep the skin moist and pliant, to prevent the too rapid evaporation of moisture from the surface, and to act as a lubricant where the folds of the skin are in contact with each other. At times in these oil tubes the contents extend to the opening on its surface; the part in contact with the air then becomes darkened, and forms the little black spots so frequently seen on the face of some persons. ”

“ There is another set of organs in the mammalian skin. At the base of each hair lies an oil gland. The function of these is to pour out a substance which spreads along each hair and over the surface of the body. The outside of the skin is always dead, and would easily crack were it not for the constant secretion of this oil. In winter, when the blood circulates less freely and these glands consequently pour out less oil, the supply frequently runs short. If what little is poured out is too frequently removed by washing, the skin becomes brittle, and, on bending a joint, the epidermis cracks. ”

“ Do not plaster the hair with oil or pomatum. A white, concrete oil pertains naturally to the covering of the human head, but some persons have it in more abundance than others. Those whose hair is glossy and shining need nothing to render it so; but when the hair is harsh, poor and dry, artificial lubrication is necessary. Persons who perspire freely, or who accumulate scurf rapidly, require it also. Nothing is simpler or better in the way of oil than pure, unscented salad oil, and in the way of a pomatum, bear's grease is as pleasant as anything. ”

“ This method of adoration affords them so much muscular activity that it takes to some extent the place of physical exercise.
Perfumed oil should be rubbed over the body, especially over the head, ears, and soles of the feet. Medicated oils diminish fatigue, promote strength, comfort, and sleep, and improve the colour of the skin, keep it soft and healthy, and thus contribute to the prolongation of life. The anointing of the head with oil prevents, or helps to cure, diseases of the scalp, and assists the growth of hair. ”

“ Neatsfoot oil, lard, butter, peanut oil, almond oil, caster oil, palm oil, bear’s oil, ox marrow, beef suet, stearic acid, petrolatum, and almost all of the other fats from the animal and the vegetable kingdoms, and even one from the mineral kingdom, appear to have been experimented with in the vain hope of finding some fat or oil which would make a good and durable ointment.
Several writers have taken another course and have tried to preserve the products obtained from former processes. One advises keeping the ointment in a jar and covering it with a layer of glycerin to prevent oxidation ”

“ Blubber oils constitute a thick layer of adipose tissue just under the skin of the marine mammalia, e.g. whale, seal, dolphin, porpoise.
In oily fish, such as herrings and sprats, each minute globule of oil is enclosed within a thin skin. It is practically impossible to rupture this skin and liberate the oil simply by the application of pressure. When,125 however, these globules are heated the skin shrivels, the oil globules expand and burst the skin, and the liquid oil is liberated and can then be extracted from the flesh by pressure. ”

“ In local rheumatic affections the skin may be painted beneficially with oil of Peppermint. For internal use, from one to three drops of the oil may be given as a dose on sugar, or in a spoonful of milk; but the diluted essence, made from some of the oil admixed with spirit of wine, is to be preferred. Put on cotton wool into the hollow of a carious tooth, a drop or two of the essential oil will often ease the pain speedily. The fresh plant, bruised, and applied against the pit of the stomach over the navel, will allay sickness, and is useful to stay the diarrhoeic purging of young children. ”

“ The injury to them probably depends on the withdrawal of the proper quantity of fat from the tissues. It is, therefore, advisable for the mother-to-be to rub her nails and hair with some suitable natural oil. Refined paraffin, almond oil or castor oil for the hair are by far the best, and for the nails some animal grease such as lanoline, or perhaps simple vaseline. Expensive concoctions, very much advertised and claiming wonderful properties, generally owe anything which they may contain to these ingredients, but more frequently contain little or nothing of any value, and are often harmful. ”

“ The amount used for tallow is regulated by the care and intelligence of the men in charge, and if properly handled a very small percentage of the fat in the animal should find its way to the tank house, as it nets much better results when put into oleo oil, as will be noted from the tests hereafter submitted.
Cleanliness and Collection. —The fats, as rapidly as removed from the animal, should be taken quickly in clean utensils and washed in medium temperature water to remove any blood present. Thorough chilling of the fat is a very essential feature in making oleo oil. ”

“ This cutaneous oil, retained in certain places, as in the axilla, the perineum, the folds of the scrotum, &c. becomes mixed there with certain principles of the transpiration, and often exhales a fetor that is almost insupportable.
This oily fluid, of the nature of which we know but little, is not like the transpiration or the fat exposed to evident increase and diminution; it is always found in nearly the same proportion. It appears to preserve the suppleness of the skin, by preventing it from cracking. ”

“ It occurs on the scalp most. The hair should be cut short, and soften the crusts with warm olive oil, or vaselin may be left on the scalp over night, then wash off the crusts with warm water and castile soap. An ointment can be made of vaselin or cold cream, and two per cent resorcin, and applied after the crust is resumed. Spread on linen and hold it in place by a thin cap, wash this off every day with olive oil and apply the salve fresh. Water should not be used oftener than once a week—oxide of zinc ointment is also good. ”

“ Nurses encourage the discharge by applying cabbage leaves, oil-cloth, &c.; this is by no means necessary; it [222] makes the head offensive, and the appearance of the child disgusting. It is much better to cure it as soon as possible, by washing the scabs night and morning with equal parts of brandy and water; then lay on the following ointment: Take, olive oil, five drachms; white wax, two drachms; calcined zinc, one drachm. Melt the oil and wax together, then add the zinc by degrees, and keep stirring it until they are intimately mixed. ”

“ We have lost most of our hairy coating, but whenever we get chilly, whether from cold or from fright, these little muscles of our hair bulbs contract and pull the hair glands of our skin up toward the surface, so that it looks all "pimply" or "goose-skinned."
Each hair pouch has sprouted out from its sides a pair of tiny pouches, which form oil glands to lubricate the hair and keep it sleek and flexible. It is hard to beat nature at her {172}own game, and her method of oiling the hair is far superior to any hair oil that can be put on from the outside. ”

“ In physiological action, the oil is alterative, tonic, and a local stimulant, and appears also to have a specific effect on certain skin diseases. It has been recommended for trial as a local application in rheumatism, leprosy, sprains and bruises, sciatica, chest affections and phthisis, ophthalmia, and the various forms of skin diseases. ”

“ The unoxidised oil still retained by the skins is removed by washing with soda or potash lye. In England and Germany, the whole of the uncombined oil is removed in this way, and is recovered from the lye, in which it exists in a partially saponified state, by neutralisation with sulphuric acid. It forms the "sod" oil of commerce. About half the oil employed is obstinately retained by the skin, and cannot be removed even by boiling with alkalies, while no gelatin is obtained by boiling water, to which the chamoised skin is much more resistant than ordinary leather. ”

“ In acute, highly inflammatory cases, where the skin is red, hot, scaling profusely, and the lesions spreading from day to day, soothing applications, as of olive oil, will generally prove most valuable. Instances are sometimes encountered where the use of the simple bath, followed by inunctions of olive oil or one of the petroleum ointments, will prove to be the only treatment tolerated. The majority of cases, however, seeking advice show the disease already well developed and in the chronic stage, and here stimulating remedies are demanded. ”

“ They are to be cured, then, by friction. It will be proper, at the commencement of the disease, to begin with rubbing the limbs from above, downwards, with moderately rough linen cloths, and afterwards, the whole arms from above, downwards. But when the limbs have been sufficiently warmed, and there is danger of a sense of lassitude, we must use a relaxing oil, and avoid all astringents. When it is winter, we must also use a sudorific one, such as the Sicyonian oil, or that of chamomile. ”

“ There is a very old and widely current belief that this sensation may be relieved by rubbing the abdomen with some kind of an oil or ointment. And, moreover, that such oiling will not only increase the elasticity of the superficial layers of the skin, but the deeper layers as well, and that by this means striæ may be prevented. There seems to be little foundation for the fear that the skin will tear, or belief in the efficacy of the oiling, but if a woman fancies that she is safer and more comfortable after oiling her abdomen, there is certainly no reason why she should not do so. ”

“ Parts used: — The oil, and resin.
Use: — Under the influence of gentle heat, it combines with wax and oil and forms an excellent resinous ointment; it forms a good substitute for officinal resin (G. Bidie.) From the fruit is obtained a solid fatty oil, which has obtained considerable repute as local application in chronic rheumatism and some other painful affections. It might be employed as a basis for ointments, &c. (Ph. Ind., p. 33.) Fine shavings of the resin are said by Irvine to be administered internally to check diarrhœa (WATT) . ”

“ It is sometimes recommended that some form of oil, as sweet oil or vaseline, be used as an unguent for anointing the parts before engaging in coitus, but this practice cannot be recommended. Oil is not a [pg 113] natural product of the parts to which it is applied, it is chemically unlike their secretions, and to smear the delicate organs with a fluid that is foreign to their nature, is unwise, unsanitary, not to say filthy. It is like greasing the mouth to make food slip down easily. ”