there was the usual assortment of minor ailments and injuries : a deeply embedded splinter ( infected , requiring the application of drawing salve , followed by excavation , disinfection , and bandage ) ; a dislocated toe ( caused by the patient having kicked a fellow in play , but the work of a moment to reduce ) ; a split lip ( requiring one stitch and a little gentian ointment ) ; a badly gashed foot ( the result of inattention whilst chopping wood , requiring twenty-eight stitches and a large dressing ) ; one child with an ear infection ( an onion poultice and willow-bark tea prescribed ) ; another with the bellyache ( peppermint tea and a strong admonition against eating eggs of unknown age out of birds ' nests of unknown provenance ) ...