Drawing salves, also popularly known as black drawing salves, are homemade or commercially bought salves that help in drawing out infections from a variety of skin conditions. These salves have been in existence since the late eighteenth century. In the past, they were prepared in bulk by the then chemists, and they were one of the first over-the-counter medicines to have been popularized. Today, most of the salves that we use are actually family recipes that have been tried and tested over a period of time. With time, these salves became popular, and people began to stock them. Some of these salves were touted as miracle cures. While most of them were not miracle cures and were not really effective in drawing out infections, there were many which did in fact have healing properties.
Over the centuries, these salves have become exceedingly popular, and people use these not only on themselves but also on their livestock and pets. Later, with the advent of the more advanced medicines, these homemade concoctions and remedies were forgotten. However, these salves and liniments continued to have a faithful following by those who prefer natural remedies over chemical ones. These salves are used for all kinds of infections including those from splinters that penetrate the skin; they can also be used for insect bites, acne, eczema, bee stings, staph infections, boils, sun burns, animal bites, open wound infections, and mastitis in livestock. They are not regulated by any international organization, and although this causes a lot of skepticism, those who use salves swear by them. Almost all the brands of these salves have the same ingredients: arnica, vitamin E, calendula, comfrey, bergamot, and beeswax. Some variations have charcoal and healing clay, depending on their intended use. The ones that are the most effective contain pine tar.
Salves contain many minerals that help weaken the skin on which it is applied. These minerals usually work by weakening the skin, and as soon as the skin begins to weaken, the blood circulation towards that area gets increased and the infectious pus is ejected. Once the pus is gone, the wound starts to heal and the infection begins to cure. Naturopaths claim that these salves can be used to treat debilitating and dangerous diseases like cancers and tumors. In theory, the salves can remove tumors and cancer; however, no research has been done to substantiate any of these claims.
answered by M W