Chapter X: On Looking Glass Lake

THE boys, however, forgot that Mary Frances’ girl dolls were Camp Fire Girls, and “Blue Birds,” and that girls as well as boys go on hikes—and meet with mishaps.

The mother of Soami Brave’s chum was the Guardian of their Camp Fire. The very afternoon that the boys went hiking, she took the girls of the first-aid class for a boat ride on Looking Glass Lake. They didn’t happen to meet any of the boys, however.

The sun shone very brightly into the playroom window, a beam falling radiantly upon Looking Glass Lake and reflecting brightly upon the faces of the happy boating party.

“Isn’t this lovely!” sighed Soami, as they drifted under the shade of a Christmas cedar tree which Mary Frances had planted on the edge of the lake.

“Isn’t it, though!” said Angie, her little chum; “only isn’t the sun hot, Mother!”

“It certainly is, dear,” agreed her mother. “I didn’t realize, or I would have told you to powder your faces to prevent sunburn.”

“Why, Mother!” exclaimed Angie, “you have always disapproved of face powder, and here you are recommending powder!”

“I know,” laughed her mother, “but I refer to toilet or talcum powder, a coat of which might prevent sunburn. As it is now, you girls will probably have to ask Miss Helpem’s advice.”

“Our class meets to-morrow morning,” said Soami. “Isn’t that good!”

By this time the little party had beached the boat on the shore and soon scattered to pick wild flowers.

At the sound of “Wohelo,” the girls gathered for their homeward trip.

“My, how my hand and arm burn and itch,” exclaimed one of the girls, scratching her arm.

“Oh, perhaps that is plant poison!” cried Soami. “Do you know poison ivy when you see it?”

“No,” the girl replied. “What does it look like?”

“My big brother, Ima, explained it this way to me,” replied Soami:

POISON IVY

This vine runs along the ground and climbs trees in
just the same way as the beautiful Virginia Creeper.
It is quite readily distinguished, however, for Poison
Ivy has but _three_ leaves in a cluster, while Virginia
Creeper has _five_ leaves.

The poison rash is caused by the irritating juices of
the plant.

“My, I wish I’d known that when gathering my flowers,” said another girl. “I really believe I’ve gathered some poison ivy among them. Look, is this the ivy? It has three leaves.”

“It certainly is,” said Soami. “Please throw it overboard. You may have a case of ivy poison ‘for fair,’ though not everybody ‘takes’ poison. Maybe you’ll be lucky.”

“I sincerely hope so,” said the girl so fervently that everybody laughed.

“Well, anyhow, don’t scratch!” warned the Guardian of the Fire.

But the next morning’s class hour revealed the result of the day’s adventures. Two girls came with bad cases of plant poison, and nearly every girl had been sunburned.

“Well, well,” said the assistant nurse, when the girls told of their experiences. “Although I’m sorry for you, this is really very interesting, for it will make you girls see the real helpfulness of our lessons. You can very soon relieve each other of your unpleasant skin irritations, for I shall give you notes on what to do for—

SUNBURN

(_See Reference List_)

Sunburn is the result of exposure to the direct or
reflected rays of the sun, sometimes causing the skin
to blister and peel.

_To Prevent:_

Before exposure, spread over the face and arms, cold
cream or any grease at hand—even cream off milk; or use
toilet powder.

Keep the head covered, but have _air space_ between the
top of the hat and top of head.

_Treatment:_

Never wash sunburn.

Never open the blisters.

Mix a lotion of one part limewater to three parts olive
oil (sweet oil), and apply.

You see, the treatment is very much the same as for
burns.

PLANT POISONING

(_See Reference List_)

Poison Ivy and a few other plants cause a rash upon
the skin after contact with their irritating juices.
Everyone should learn to distinguish poison ivy, which
has _three_ leaves, not _five_, as has the Virginia
Creeper (see picture in this chapter). If this
poisonous plant were recognized and avoided, there
would be but few cases of plant poisoning.

_Treatment:_

Do not scratch.

Mop on rash a saturated solution of Epsom salt, or
boric acid, or baking soda,[G] with a small “sponge”
of absorbent cotton, which is to be thrown away after
using. Allow application to dry in the air.

PRICKLY HEAT

Prickly Heat is an itching redness of the skin caused
from overheating the body. It appears oftenest on
babies; sometimes on older people whose skin is very
sensitive.

_Treatment:_

Bathe with a pure soap, as Castile.

Then bathe with a mixture of one part alcohol to three
parts water.

Dust, with talcum powder.

HIVES (NETTLE RASH)

These itching lumps, which resemble mosquito bites,
usually indicate stomach or intestinal trouble. They
seem to appear after exposure to first, extreme heat;
then, to sudden chill. Sometimes they are caused by
certain foods; as fish or berries.

_Treatment:_

For the itching, rub with table salt.

Give a cathartic. Citrate of magnesia is excellent.

Then give a half-teaspoon table salt twice a day for
two or three days.

An old-fashioned home remedy is one-quarter teaspoonful
cream of tartar in one-quarter glass of water three
times a day, at morning, noon and evening, for three
days.

If hives persist, see doctor.

“Did you have it all planned to give us this lesson. Miss Helpem?” asked Soami Brave, while the girls bathed their sunburned faces as directed, and treated the poison ivy rash with the Epsom salt solution.

“Do you really want to know?” asked the assistant nurse.

“Please tell us,” they begged.

“Well, to tell the truth,” replied Miss Helpem, “your needs seemed to require this lesson so much—that I didn’t have to invent a game at all—I just put you into practical practice.”

“By the way, Miss Helpem,” suggested Angie, “would you mind not telling the boys’ class about what happened?”

“I promise secrecy,” said Miss Helpem. The girls wondered why she and Shesa Brave laughed so heartily—they didn’t know that the boys had been given the same promise.

FOOTNOTES:

[G] TO MAKE A SATURATED SOLUTION

Stir into a small amount of boiled water, all that can be dissolved.