Large areas of eczema should be treated with baths. Colloidal baths are used for acute eczema. They may consist of:

Bran: Very hot water is allowed to run into a tub over a cheesecloth bag containing one to three pounds of wheat bran. The tub is filled with water, and the bag is squeezed occasionally to introduce the bran into the water.

Cornstarch: One pound of cornstarch is stirred into a tub full of water.

Oatmeal: Two cups of boiled oatmeal are put into a cheesecloth bag, and then the bag is used as a washcloth on the skin.

Tar baths which are helpful in sub-acute eczema are made with three ounces of a solution of crude coal tar, N.F., put into a full tub of water. Sodium bicarbonate baths are soothing for very irritated and itchy skin. One cup of sodium bicarbonate to a tub of water is used. Magnesium sulfate baths may be used, one cup to a tub of water, for acutely inflamed skin which is oozing.

Failure in the treatment of eczema may be caused by a bacterial or a fungal infection, a concomitant contact dermatitis, seborrhea, an endocrine disturbance, an immunological disorder, a situation of stress, or a drug eruption that takes place at the same time as the eczema.

Tranquilizers are a radical part of the treatment of any form of eczema. Atarax or Vistaril are generally chosen in syrup form to be given by mouth in teaspoonfuls three or four times daily for a period of three to four months.

*36/99/5*

Maintaining good mental health is a vital part of the fight against physical disease, and is especially important in long-term or ‘chronic’ illnesses such as food intolerance. While some sufferers will quickly be restored to perfect health, for others it may be a long haul. This is particularly true for those with multiple symptoms who have been ill for many years. Patience and perseverance are needed, and a positive frame of mind is essential. The following suggestions should help to improve your general health and maintain a well-balanced mental outlook.

If you are undertaking an elimination diet, you should be cutting out tea, coffee, alcohol and sugar anyway. Assuming you are not sensitive to these items, you may later reintroduce them, but avoid taking any of them in large quantities, and in particular avoid strong coffee or tea. If you smoke, make every effort to give up.

Eat regular, adequate meals and make sure you get enough sleep. Try to keep to a regular timetable of waking and sleeping. Keep your surroundings tidy and well organized.

Get out of doors as much as possible and take some exercise – preferably fairly strenuous – every day. Feeling fit does wonders for the morale. If you suffer from morning fatigue, taking some exercise before breakfast is often very helpful. It need not take very long but it should be fairly strenuous – running up and down stairs a few times will do. You will probably find that you perform very badly and feel dreadful for the first few minutes. Take a rest and try again – it is amazing how much better you do the second time around. Exercising before breakfast seems to ‘clean the slate’ for the body, before it has to deal with a new dose of food. Try to spend plenty of time with other people, especially people outside your immediate family. If you find yourself endlessly talking about your illness or your diet, as you may begin to do, make a big effort to occupy your mind with other things.

Restrict yourself to one news bulletin a day, or avoid the news and newspapers altogether. The constant exposure to doom and gloom that most of us take for granted can be a source of hidden stress – if you have real problems to contend with you do not needed this extra mental burden. Television programmes or books that make you laugh will do you far more good.

*209\180\8*