Here is a list of useful medicines and dressings with a description of their uses. All are quite cheap and worth stocking at home in readiness for minor illnesses.
Keep them in a box or cupboard with a lock, or store them well out of the reach of children.
- Soluble aspirin tablets – Good for headaches, colds, sore throats (gargle with the solution), and pains in general. Aspirin should not be given to children under 16.
- Paracetamol mixture – For relief of pain or fever in young children.
- Sedative cough linctus – For dry or painful coughs, but not coughs caused by common colds.
- Menthol crystals – Add to hot water to make steam inhalations for treating catarrh and dry or painful coughs.
- Vapour rub – Again, for steam inhalations. Also useful for children with stuffy noses or dry coughs. Rub on the chest and nose.
- Ephedrine nose drops – For runny noses in children over one year old. Use before meals and at night but not for more than four days.
- Antiseptic solution – One teaspoon diluted in warm water for cleaning cuts and grazes.
- Antiseptic cream – For treating septic spots, sores in the nose and grazes.
- Calamine lotion – For dabbing (not rubbing) on insect bites, stings and sunburn.
- Dressing strips – For minor cuts.
- 3″ wide crepe bandage – To keep dressings in place. To support sprained or bruised joints.
- Cotton wool – For cleaning cuts and grazes.
- Thermometer – For fevers.
- Tweezers – For removing splinters.
Remember that your local chemist can give you advice about medicines.