posted 07-19-2009 04:08 PM            

I have never seen a Court Plaster, have you?

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HOUSEHOLD SURGERY;
or
HINTS ON EMERGENCIES.
BY JOHN F. S0UTH,
ONE OF THE SURGEONS To ST. THOMAS'S HOSPITAL
FOURTH EDITION,
WITH AN ADDITIONAL CHAPTER ON POISONS.
LONDON:
G. COX, 18, KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1852.

Page 40

Plasters

Plasters are used for keeping wounds together and for binding up sores. People not accustomed to it cannot make plasters, but they may have them from the druggist in the roll, and easily manage to spread them on linen with a hot knife or spatula, which should be sufficiently heated to slightly brown white paper, but not hotter. Plasters are best spread when wanted, and used whilst fresh; for if unused till after they have been some weeks spread, the plaster flakes off the linen, unless more resin be added to the plaster at first than is proper. The best material for spreading plaster on is moderately thick glazed calico, which is less expensive and cumbersome than white leather. The piece of calico to be spread having been cut of, and strained upon a board by fastening at each end with tacks, some of the plaster, which has been melted slowly in a little iron pot or pipkin by the side of the fire, but not on it, should be poured across one end of the calico, and then with the edge of the warm knife run lightly and quickly to the other end, supplying a little more warm plaster whenever that already put on has been spread. In this way, with very little practice, plaster can soon be smoothly and nicely spread.

Some tough plasters, as Burgundy pitch, may be spread on white-brown paper; such is the way in which the so-culled Poor Man’s Plaster is made.

The Common Sticking-plaster or Strapping

Is made by melting together two parts of soap plaster and one of resin-plaster; the latter being added to make it sticky: but if fresh spread, the soap-plaster alone will stick well enough. It may be spread either on calico or on black silk, to render it more sightly.

Court Plaster, or Black Sticking-plaster

Is made by brushing pretty thick gum-water over black silk strained tightly. After having been dried, it will keep a long while if not exposed to damp. As is well known, it merely requires moistening with the tongue to fit it for use, and answers very well for slight cuts.

Isinglass Plaster

Has of late come much into vogue, and will answer the purpose of sticking-plaster if that not be obtained, to which, indeed, some think it even preferable. This is made by dissolving isinglass in a small quantity of boiling rater, and then mixing it with sufficient spirits of wine to keep it fluid whilst gently brushed over silk or fine linen. As the spirit evaporates, the isinglass forms a glaze on the silk or linen. It also must be kept dry, and when required for use, strips of needful size may be cut off, and immediately before applying must be quickly and lightly brushed over with a hot moist sponge, which dissolves the glaze sufficiently to make it sticky, in which state it is put on, and almost immediately sticks fast to the part on which it is placed.

Blister, or Spanish-Fly Plaster

Is rather an ointment than a plaster; and is sufficiently soft to be spread with the thumb, as the heat of a knife spoils its blistering property. It may be made by dissolving in a pot by the fireside three ounces and a half of white or brown wax, the same quantity of suet, an ounce of resin, and three ounces of lard. These are to be heated, only sufficiently to dissolve and allow of being well mixed by stirring together with a stick. Six ounces of Spanish flies finely powdered are then to be sifted in, and the stirring continued till the whole he completely mixed. The plaster thus made should he poured into another pot to cool, when it is ready for use.

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Scientific American
Vol.22, No. 1.
January 1, 1870

Sticking, Or Court Plaster

This plaster is well known from its general use and its healing properties. It is merely a kind of varnished silk, and its manufacture is very easy.

Bruise a sufficient quantity of isinglass, and let it soak in a little warm water for four-and-twenty hours; expose it to heat over the fire till the greater part of the water is dissipated, and supply its place by proof spirits of wine, which will combine with the isinglass. Strain the whole through a piece of open linen, taking care that the consistence of the mixture shall be such that, when cool, it may form a trembling jelly.

Extend the piece of black silk, of which you propose making your plaster, on a wooden frame, and fix it in that position by means of tacks or pack-thread. Then apply the isinglass (after it has been rendered liquid by a gentle heat) to the silk with a brush of fine hair (badgers' is the best). As soon as this first coating is dried, which will not be long, apply a second; and afterwards, if you wish the article to be very superior, a third. When the whole is dry, cover it with two or three coatings of the balsam of Peru.

This is the genuine court plaster. It is pliable, and never breaks, which is far from being the case with many of the spurious articles which are sold under that name. Indeed, this commodity is very frequently adulterated. A kind of plaster, with a very thick and brittle covering, is often sold for it. The manufacturers of this, instead of isinglass, use common glue, which is much cheaper; and cover the whole with spirit varnish, instead of balsam of Peru. This plaster cracks, and has none of the balsamic smell by which the genuine court plaster is distinguished. Another method of detecting the adulteration is to moisten it with your tongue on the side opposite to that which is varnished; and, if the plaster be genuine, it will adhere exceedingly well. The adulterated plaster is too hard for this; it will not stick, unless you moisten it on the varnished side. -The Painter, Gilder, and Varnisher's Companion.

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posted 07-20-2009 06:49 PM            

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American Journal of Pharmacy
Published by the authority of the
PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.
Edited by
Joseph Carson, M. D.
1844.

ART. XII.--INDIA-RUBBER COURT-PLASTER.
By Ms. B. C. Rowland

The Pharmaceutical Journal, No. IV., 1st Vol. Contains an article detailing the manner of making Mr. Liston's isinglass plaster, spread either upon silk or membrane. I am induced to lay before your readers, in furtherance of the same subject, the best method of making India-rubber Court-plaster, which does not wash off; thinking, as it has become an article now in general use, that the mode of its preparation may interest the Chemist and Druggist.

A stout frame of wood must be made about three yards long, (or any length that would be most convenient,) and about one yard and a quarter wide. Within this frame must be placed two sides of another frame running longitudinally and across, so fired in the outer frame that the two pieces may slide, independently of each other, backward and forward about six inches.

Tapes of canvas must be tacked round the inside of the inner frame and the corresponding sides of the outer frame, so as to form a square for the material to be sewed in; which when done, the two loose frames must be drawn tightly to the outer, by means of twine passed round each, in order to stretch, perfectly free from irregularities, the silk or satin previous to laying on the composition.

To make the India-rubber plaster :-Dissolve India-rubber in naphtha, or naphtha and turpentine, and lay it on with a brush, on the opposite side to that intended for the plaster, and when perfectly dry, and the smell in a great measure dissipated, it will be ready for the adhesive material ; to ake which -- take equal parts of Salisbury glue, or fine Russian glue, and the best isinglass, dissolved in a sufficient quantity of water over a water bath, and laid on with “a flat hog-tool" while warm. It is requisite to use great caution in spreading the plaster evenly, and in one direction, and a sufficient number of coatings must be given to form a smooth surface, through which the texture of the fabric is not perceptible. Each coating should be perfectly dry before the succeeding one is given, and placed in a situation free from dust, and where a draught of air would facilitate the drying. The quantity of water used, and the weight of the two materials, must be a little a varied according to the season, and the gelatin strength they possess.

Lastly. the plaster being ready to receive the polishing coat, which gives also the balsamic effect to it - preparation is made in nearly the same manner as the tinetura benzoini camporita of the Pharmaeoporia, with the addition of more gums ; this preparation must be laid on once only, and with a brush kept for the purpose. For making plasters on colored silk, it is only necessary to select the silk a deeper than the color required, as the plaster causes it to appear a little lighter.

The process being finished. the plaster must be cut out of the frame with scissors, as near to the canvas to which it is sewed as it will admit. For sale, it is cut up in squares, which is best done by means of a compass and rule.

I have tried various solvents for India-rubber and find none answer so well as those above mentioned. Ether dissolves it with facility, and possesses the advantage of cleanliness, but it is much mere expensive, and evaporates so rapidly, that it is almost impossible to spread the solution smoothly on the silk ; naphtha evaporates more slowly, and is, therefore, preferable, but the quality requires attention, as it may be obtained almost free from that kreasote smell which is the only objection to its use. The addition of a small quantity of spirits of turpentine facilitates the solution of some specimens of India-rubber. The white India-rubber is better than that which has assumed a black color by exposure to the air.

I have tried various adhesive materials, but find the one I have mentioned to be the best. The grand arcanum in making court-plaster is glue and isinglass. The polishing coat is not absolutely necessary, but it improves the appearance of the plaster, and the gums may probably increase its healing properly, and by giving it a more even surface cause it to adhere more closely. It has occurred to me, that a similar plaster might he made for common use with calico instead of silk, which might, in some cases, supersede the um of strapping; and also that the adhesive material might be made the vehicle for cantharidine or other stimulants. The isinglass plaster is apt to crack in warm dry weather, but this does not occur if it is kept in a cellar in an earthenware jar. Ibid.

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Sounds like a forerunner to the "Band Aid." In Victorian times why not a have a fancy sterling case for them?