CANTHARIS OINTMENT- 25 GM

A burn is an injury to the skin or other organic tissue caused by heat or due to radiation, radioactivity, electricity, friction or contact with chemicals.

Thermal (heat) burns occur when some or all of the cells in the skin or other tissues are destroyed by hot liquids (scalds), hot solids (contact burns), or flames (flame burns).

They are of 3 types:

First degree burns involve the epidermis of skin only and appear pink to red, dry with no blisters. They are moderately painful and heal without scarring.

Second degree superficial burns are partial-thickness burns and involve the dermis and appear red with blisters and are wet. Erythema blanches with pressure. Pain is severe and healing occurs in 3-8weeks with minimal scarring.

Third degree burns involves full thickness of skin and subcutaneous structures and appears white or black/brown, it is leathery and dry with minimal or no pain and no blanching on pressure. They heal by contracture and take > 8 weeks requiring skin grafting.

Proper management of a burn involves the following steps:

1. Stop the burning process by removing clothing and irrigating the burns.
2. Use cool running water to reduce the temperature of the burn.
3. In chemical burns, remove or dilute the chemical agent by irrigating with large volumes of water.

Action of Ingredients:

Cantharis: It is employed locally and internally in burns. Effective for first degree burns. This remedy relieves blisters from burns or friction. Severe sunburns. Eruptions burn when touched. Dermatitis with bleb formation. Eruption with mealy scales. Vesicular eruptions, turning black with burning and itching. Erysipelas, vesicular type with great restlessness.

References:

1. Materia Medica by Boericke
2. Nature's Materia Medica by Robin Murphy, MD
3. A Manual Of Materia Medica, Therapeutics And Pharmacology By Blackwood, Alexander Leslie