The doctor finally gave up and told her to go home and soak the wound in coal oil twice a day and pray for healing. The remedy worked. As I suspected, a detailed search of the book did not show coal oil as a recommended remedy for any malady. I now believe use of the concoction was for purely psychological reasons.
Prickly heat causes an itchy rash of small red raised red spots with a prickling or stinging sensation. Prickly heat usually affects parts of the body covered by clothes, such as the back, abdomen, neck, upper chest, groin or armpits.
Heat rash (miliaria rubra), also known as prickly heat, is a rash of small red bumps caused by blockage of the sweat glands. It can be due to high fever, excessive sweating, or being over-bundled. It is commonly seen in hot, humid tropical climates.