Symptoms:

A collection of pus within a body cavity.  According to Thomas Duskier, “The brighter the redness, the smaller will be the abscess.  The softer the feeling and the darker the appearance the more extensive will be the destruction of the tissue.  Thick yellow pus is termed ‘healthy’, thin watery and greenish pus is always bad, indicating prostration and difficulty in healing.”

Cause:

An abscess is nature’s way of purifying the body, bringing waste materials into a deposit that can be easily drawn out.  Pus is formed by the loss of organic sulphur from cells, whereupon the cells decay.  Herbs containing organic sulphur such as garlic, are used to rebuild and prevent this deficiency condition.

Herbal aids:

The use of poultices to bring an abscess to a head and clear it out is the most important method of relief.  A poultice of slippery elm, wild sage, and lobelia (equal parts) is good; another poultice that will draw very rapidly and will relieve pain at the same time is mullein (three parts) and lobelia (one part).  Others are flaxseed, lobelia, and golden seal; leek boiled in milk; sour dock, hyssop and green fennel; ground ivy and yarrow; carrot; potato.

Useful herbs:

Bayberry bark, cayenne, cloves, garlic, ginger, hemlock bark, herb Robert, lobelia, mugwort, mullein, sassafras, slippery elm, stinging nettle leaves.