friendly and effective care for you and your family

Family medicine chest

Here is a list of useful medicines and dressings with a description of their uses. All are relatively inexpensive 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. ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE PACKET.

Soluble Aspirin Tablets:

For adults and older children (over the age of 12 only). Good for headaches, colds, sore throats and painful bruises.

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen:

For relief of pain or fever in young children.

Sedative Cough Linctus:

For dry or painful coughs - but 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 and 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.