| From: Becky Krumwiede <[log in to unmask]>
| To:
| Subject: Re: Sore Nipples and Tincture of Benzoin
| Date: Thursday, 9 October 1997 6:08
|
| >This is totally a new one on me, so clue me in.  Is this used only in
| Australia?  How does it work?  And for what kinds of sore nipples?

TINCTURE OF BENZOIN CO  FOR WHICH ANOTHER NAME IS FRIAR'S BALSAM.  THE NAME
INDICATES THE ORIGINS SOMEWHAT.  IT IS OFTEN USED FOR INHALATION (THAT IS A
FEW DROPS IN HOT WATER and steaming under a towel) FOR BLOCKED AIRWAYS AND
USED DIRECTLY ON WOUNDS.

As the principles of healing have changed to moist healing the drying
effect of this lotion (without castor oil) probably led to a reduction in
its use.  But like all of these old remedies they disappear and reappear
over time.

Thank you for you rational reply.  I was beginning to doubt my memory for a
while but I have just checked with one of our major teaching hospital's
(RWH) pharmacist.  (There was one left nearly as old as I am)  who assures
me it has been used I in fact did paint it with a swabstick on to nipples
which were cracked and I haven't lost my marbles?

The Pharmacist from Monash Medical Centre (another large teaching centre)
said that only  skin sensitisation has been reported.  This Tincture is
produced from a natural product.  It is made from the stem of a plant with
a long botanic name  a bit like cinnamon. It is a resin (makes a plastic
like seal on wound) combined with alcohol (which acts as an antiseptic).The
pharmacist assured me that it was used for a very long time,  but has gone
out of fashion.  Like everything else he thinks it might have been thought
to be carcinogenic but doesn't know for sure.  The important part was to
was it off before the baby fed -taste or harm I am not sure.  He commented
that fashions in the clinical area come and go and often they are not
informed of the reason!

If you read Minchin, M  Breastfeeding Matters p 139 (my edition l985)
Maureen states

"NMAA (Nursing Mothers Association of Australia) said that wide spread use
of Tinc Benz co damaged nipples, . Nurses swore that it helped 'cracked
nipples' and that it 'toughened' nipples for breastfeeding ..... As so
often happens in these debates both sides are partly right.   Tinc Benz is
a natural resin dissolved in alcohol.  Carefully applied IN THE FISSURE
ALONE (italics emphasis in book) it stings like mad (the alcohol, which
sterilises) but seems to provide a temporary seal (the resin).  Since
discovering its virtues I have used it frequently on other hard-to-heal
skin lesions on knuckles and joints, ..... with 100% success.  But because
alcohol destroys live tissue, Tinc Benz. should never be used on healthy
nipple skin - with or without oil.  Many a fissure has been created by its
careless use on a slightly sore nipple.  ( I would add that Tinc. Benz.
with castor oil was nowhere near as effective as the undiluted compound for
the hard-to-heal cuts.  Is castor oil a irritant to skin as well as to the
gut?)"


It is interesting to note that castor oil is back in fashion again.

Tinc Benz. co (undiluted) worked on the nipple fissure that my daughter in
law had when we were desperate for relief of pain during breastfeeding.  It
was its immediate result which enamoured me to my daughter and set the
scene for her to regularly ask for my advice about my grandchildren.
Tracey is a red head and fairskinned, but it was my grandson's poor
positioning combined with tongue tie which caused the problems and not her
red hair.   Tracey has a slight tongue tie and her mother (whose red hair
was blamed) had severely damaged nipples when breastfeeding.

Yes we used Tincture of Benzoin Compound which was used for cracked nipples
(open wound) mixed with half and half castor oil to combat the spirit
content.  The reasons the RWH pharmacist suggested that it was no longer
made it up was that (a) it was very messy  (b) it became out of date on the
shelves (c) they were not aware of any research which reduced its use.


>Do all
| you Australians feel like it's okay to use or is it controversial?  It
could be controversial after this email???!!

I can't answer for all Australians!
!|
>| I have never heard of anyone using it where I am.  I seem to have dim
| recollections of hearing that it was one of those things that used to be
| used way back when but that it was damaging to the tissue.
|
See above comments from Maureen Minchin in Breastfeeding Matters.  abridged
quote.

| Always willing to learn--
My literature search revealed nothing but I  will be contacting the College
of Nutrition and Environmental Medicine to see if the doctor(medical) has
any idea.  I will get back to Lactnet.  On this
|
| Becky Krumwiede, RN, IBCLC, Appleton, WI
| [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
|