2433. Arnica for Bites.

A correspondent of the _Times_ says:

"Noticing in your paper an account of the death of a man from the
bite of a cat, I beg to trouble you with the following case, which
occurred to myself about three weeks ago:--I took a strange dog
home, which produced consternation among the cats. One of them I
took up, to effect a reconciliation between her and the dog. In her
terror, she bit me so severely on the first finger of the left hand,
as not only to cause four of the teeth of her lower jaw to enter the
flesh, but so agonizing was her bite that the pressure of her palate
caused the finger to swell at the joint on the opposite side to
where the lower teeth entered the finger. In a minute or two the
pain was about as excruciating as anything I ever felt--certainly
greater than I have suffered from a wound. I got some tincture of
arnica, diluted with about twelve times the quantity of water, and
proceeded to bathe the finger well with it. In about half a minute
the blood began to flow freely, the pain ceased, and the swelling
abated, and up to this moment I have had no further inconvenience or
pain, not even soreness."

2434. Cure for Burns.

Of all applications for a burn, there are none equal to a simple
covering of common _wheat flour_. This is always at hand; and while it
requires no skill in using, it produces most astonishing effects. The
moisture produced upon the surface of a slight or deep burn is at once
absorbed by the flour, and forms a paste which shuts out the air. As
long as the fluid matters continue flowing, they are absorbed, and
prevented from producing irritation, as they would do if kept from
passing off by oily or resinous applications, while the greater the
amount of those absorbed by the flour, the thicker the protective
covering. Another advantage of the flour covering is, that next to the
surface it is kept moist and flexible. It can also be readily washed
off, without further irritation in removing. It may occasionally be
washed off very carefully, when the crust that it forms has become
dry, and a new covering be sprinkled on.

2435. Remedy for Burns and Scalds.

Take chalk and linseed, or common olive oil, and mix them in such
proportions as will produce a compound as thick as thin honey; then
add vinegar so as to reduce it to the thickness of treacle; app