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.
Prickly heat is also known as heat rash or miliaria. It is a red and itchy rash on the skin that causes a stinging or prickly feeling, hence the name. Although prickly heat usually occurs in hot conditions, it can affect people in winter if they are wearing too much clothing or sit too close to a heater.