Glauber salt is a refined crystal produced from the sulfate mineral Glauber’s salt. It is named for its resemblance to wheat awns. It has a salty and slightly bitter taste and is cold in nature. Glauber salt enters the stomach and large intestine meridians. Its functions include purgation, clearing heat, and softening hard masses. Clinically, it is often use for constipation due to heat accumulation, abdominal distension and pain, masses, carbuncles, red eyes, canker sores, and erysipelas. Skilled users often achieve remarkable results, while traditional practitioners often use it externally, with significant effects on symptoms.
1. Treatment of gallstones
I often use Glauber’s salt in combination with other medicines for internal treatment of gallstones. There are many clinical reports on this, as it has the effects of softening and dispersing nodules, clearing heat and dissolving stones. However, the external use of Glauber’s salt for treating liver and gallbladder stones is rare. This method originated from my grandfather. Therefore, the family kept a lot of it. After each purchase, it was piled up in the same place.
Over time, it was discovered that the bricks and stones at the base of the wall where it was piled up not only swelled and grew white mold due to the corrosion of Glauber’s salt. But also that the small stones next to the Glauber’s salt were becoming smaller and more brittle. This led the family to believe that this medicine had a very strong stone-dissolving power. Coincidentally, a neighbor, an elderly man in his seventies, suffered from liver and gallbladder stones. Due to his advanced age, he dared not and did not want to have surgery. After conservative treatment with both Chinese and Western medicine in the hospital, he still suffered from bloating and pain.
One case serves as proof: when patients with liver and gallbladder stones were taking Chinese medicine, they were all advised to combine this method with their treatment, and the effect was very significant. Moreover, regardless of whether it was kidney or gallbladder stones, Glauber’s salt was added to the decoction for those with strong constitutions, which significantly improved the efficacy of dissolving and expelling stones.
Treatment for acute eczema
Acute eczema is a skin inflammation characterized by polymorphic rashes and oozing tendency, accompanied by intense itching and a tendency to recur. In severe cases, the affected area may ooze water droplets. Western medicine often treats it with anti-inflammatory drugs. But it is prone to becoming chronic and the control of oozing is slow. However, in cases of eczema with oozing, home remedies often apply Glauber’s salt as a wet compress. After one or two applications, the oozing can be reduced or even improved. Specific application method: Take about 200 grams of Glauber’s salt and dissolve it in about 0.5 kg of warm water. Soak a towel in the solution, wring it out slightly (but not dripping), and apply the wet towel to the affected area for 30 minutes each time, two or three times a day. In severe cases, it can be used for two consecutive days.
Treatment for lacquer poisoning
Lacquer dermatitis is a common skin condition caused by contact with lacquer trees, lacquer sap, lacquerware, or even just the smell of lacquer. It often occurs on exposed areas such as the face, arms, etc., presenting with significant swelling, redness, itching, stinging, and sometimes blisters and erosions. It tends to heal spontaneously. Equivalent to contact dermatitis in Western medicine, it is more common in rural areas. Treatment generally involves anti-allergy medications, heat-clearing and detoxifying methods, and topical applications. For decades, Glauber salt has been used to treat lacquer dermatitis, with significantly better results than other treatments. It often curing the condition in one treatment. Specific usage is basically the same as for acute eczema; for large affected areas, soaking may also be used.
In addition, Glauber’s salt can be used externally to wash and treat prickly heat, applied externally to suppress lactation, and used as a wet compress to treat penile edema or paraphimosis. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine formulas to soften hardened masses, dissipate nodules, and clear heat and purge fire. Glauber’s salt has a wide range of applications, including acute and febrile skin diseases, but further practice and verification are needed.
Treatment of surgical infections
Take borneol and Glauber’s salt, mix them in a 1:10 ratio, grind them into powder, and set aside. Depending on the size of the lesion, take an appropriate amount of gauze, flatten it, and evenly spread a suitable amount of borneol and Glauber’s salt in the center of the gauze, about 0.5 cm thick. Wrap the four sides of the gauze tightly, apply it to the affected area, and secure it with adhesive tape or a bandage to prevent the powder from spilling out. Change the dressing every 2-3 days. Do not change the dressing too frequently, as this may result in incomplete dissolution of the powder and affect the therapeutic effect. A total of 230 patients were treated, all of whom were cured, with an average of 3 dressing changes (except for periappendiceal abscesses, which required 3-4 changes).
Treatment of acute appendicitis
The treatment involved 60g of Glauber’s salt, 60g of rhubarb powder, and 12 cloves of garlic. First, peel and wash the garlic cloves, then pound them together with the Glauber’s salt into a paste. Apply vinegar to the painful area, then apply the paste, about 3cm thick, surrounding it with gauze to prevent leakage. Remove after 2 hours, wash with warm water. Then apply a paste made of rhubarb powder mixed with vinegar for 12 hours. This treatment was used on 534 cases, with an effective rate of 96.2%.
Treatment of periappendiceal abscess
Take 100-200g of Glauber salt, grind it into powder, mix it with rice vinegar or 50% ethanol, put it into a gauze bag, and apply it externally to the swelling. Add vinegar or ethanol as needed to keep the Glauber’s salt moist. A total of 213 cases were observed and treated. 75 cases, Glauber’s salt was applied externally alone, resulting in 69 cures and 6 improvements. In 86 cases, antibiotics were used first, followed by external application, resulting in 83 cures, 2 improvements, and 1 worsening. 24 cases, external application was used first, followed by antibiotics, resulting in 22 cures, 1 improvement, and 1 worsening. 30 cases, antibiotics were used first, followed by external application, resulting in 29 cures and 1 improvement. A recent follow-up of 110 cases showed 68 cures (61.82%), 20 good results (18.18%), 17 relapses (15.45%), and other complications.
Glauber’s salt
Example (4.55%).
Breastfeeding
Take 200g of Glauber’s salt (300g in hot weather), wrap it in gauze. Place it on both breasts, securing it with a breast band. Remove it after 24 hours (12 hours in hot weather). If ineffective after one application, repeat 1-2 times. A total of 33 cases were observed; 85% experienced lactation cessation after 2 days of treatment, and the rest after 3 days. However, Glauber’s salt was ineffective for preventative lactation suppression in cases where the breasts were not engorged postpartum.
Treatment of Kashin-Beck disease
The medication is taken orally, twice daily, with an adult dose of 2-4g each time. In a study of 117 patients, after one month of treatment, 46 patients experienced significant reduction or near-complete disappearance of joint pain; 2 patients showed significant improvement in joint dysfunction; 39 patients showed significant improvement in both joint pain and dysfunction; 16 patients experienced complete disappearance of pain, improvement in dysfunction, and significant improvement in work capacity; and 5 patients showed no change. Nine patients experienced increased pain after taking the medication. Generally, there were no adverse reactions after taking the medication, but a few patients experienced abdominal distension or mild diarrhea when taking larger doses.
Treatment of erysipelas
100g of Glauber’s salt, 100g of Momordica cochinchinensis seeds, and 10g of borneol were ground into a fine powder. A paste was prepared with 10g of sesame oil and applied topically once daily. Of 27 cases treated, 26 were cured, resulting in a cure rate of 96.3%.
Treatment for eczema
The patient, a 30-year-old female, presented with erythema, papules, and vesicles on both lower limbs, accompanied by intense itching for two days. She reported a sudden onset of erythema and intense itching without any obvious cause, and had previously used antihistamines such as cetirizine without improvement. Upon examination, symmetrical erythema, papules, and vesicles were observed on the anterior tibiae of both lower limbs, along with numerous scratch marks. Her pulse was rapid and forceful, her tongue was red with a slightly yellow and greasy coating. Further questioning revealed a habitually irritable temperament and constipation, with several days of constipation reported.
Erysipelas
The patient, a 57-year-old male, had suffered from erysipelas for over ten years, visiting multiple hospitals and trying various Chinese and Western medicines, all to no avail. The onset of his illness was without any obvious cause or pattern. Each episode involved redness and swelling of the left dorsum of the foot, ankle, and extensor surface of the lower leg, accompanied by burning pain. Severe cases required bed rest and were accompanied by chills and fever. Even with medication and injections, relief took more than ten days. Upon examination, the left dorsum of the foot and ankle showed extensive redness and swelling, tenderness to the touch, and…
Glauber’s salt
In addition to administering heat-clearing, detoxifying, and dampness-resolving medications, the patient was also given a daily dry compress of 500g of Glauber’s salt, changed once a day. After three days, the redness and swelling subsided, and the pain disappeared. Although relapses occurred afterward, the intervals between attacks were significantly longer, and the symptoms were much milder, generally healing within 3-4 days. While the chronic illness was not completely cured, the patient was still very happy. Furthermore, Glauber’s salt is inexpensive and readily available at home, allowing for application at the onset of the illness, thus greatly shortening its duration.
Treatment for scabies nodules
The patient, a 17-year-old male, presented with a history of severe itching all over his body for more than a month. He reported that he had experienced generalized itching for over a month, which worsened at night. Physical examination revealed diffuse red papules and scratch marks all over his body, especially in skin folds. A nodule the size of a soybean was also observed on his scrotum. He was diagnosed with scabies and treated with scabies cream. The generalized itching subsided, but the nodule on his scrotum remained itchy. He was subsequently treated with Piconazole cream and other medications, but the effect was not good. He was then given 100g of Glauber’s salt, dissolved in warm water, and applied topically once a day. The nodule disappeared after 20 days.
Treatment for neurodermatitis
The patient, a 39-year-old male, had been suffering from neurodermatitis for over two years. The condition had recurred repeatedly and gradually worsened over the past two years. He had previously taken various antihistamines and used large amounts of topical steroid creams, but the effects gradually diminished. Upon examination, an oval-shaped rash measuring approximately 7cm x 15cm was visible on his left elbow joint. The skin exhibited lichenification, was firm, and had clear borders. He was prescribed 100g of Glauber’s salt mixed with an appropriate amount of petroleum jelly to form a paste, which was applied to the affected area twice daily. The rash healed after more than a month.
1. For acute mastitis, apply 30 grams of Glauber’s salt externally to the swollen and painful area twice a day.
2. For phlebitis, mix an appropriate amount of Glauber’s salt with cool water, apply to the affected area, and after the medicine dries, sprinkle with cool water to keep it moist. Apply once daily.
For toothache caused by wind and fire, apply an appropriate amount of Glauber’s salt to the affected area, gently bite down with your upper and lower teeth, and dissolve it in your saliva. Use continuously.
Dissolve 10 grams of Glauber’s salt in 500 ml of boiling water and soak feet for 30 minutes.
A poultice of equal parts Glauber’s salt and rhubarb can also treat cholecystitis.
