The doctor finally gave up and told her to go home and soak the wound in coal oil twice a day and pray for healing. The remedy worked. As I suspected, a detailed search of the book did not show coal oil as a recommended remedy for any malady. I now believe use of the concoction was for purely psychological reasons.
Prickly heat causes an itchy rash of small red raised red spots with a prickling or stinging sensation. Prickly heat usually affects parts of the body covered by clothes, such as the back, abdomen, neck, upper chest, groin or armpits.
Causes. Prickly heat or miliaria occurs when the skin pores are blocked, thereby trapping sweat under the skin. This is usually brought about by heavy sweating during hot and humid weather. Perspiration gives way for bacteria and dead skin cells to block the pores of the skin.