Thyme chest wrap
A warm aromatic wrap from the household tradition. A cloth soaked in thyme infusion, laid on the chest, covered with linen and wool.
Steps
Lay out the three cloths
Inner cotton cloth, outer linen, wool blanket on top. Have them next to the bed or sofa where you will rest afterwards.
Brew a strong thyme infusion
Two heaped tablespoons of dried thyme into half a litre of just-boiled water. Cover and steep ten minutes, then strain into a wide bowl.
Soak and wring the cotton cloth
Dip the inner cloth into the warm infusion. Wring it firmly, so it is damp and warm but no longer dripping. Test the warmth on the inside of your wrist. It should feel comfortably warm, never hot.
Place on the chest and rest
Lay the damp cloth across the upper chest below the collarbones, not over the throat. Cover with the linen and then the wool. Lie down with a second blanket if you like. Twenty minutes. Take everything off as soon as the cloth feels cool.
Not suitable for children under two. For children between two and twelve, halve the strength of the infusion and shorten the wrap to ten minutes. Skip on broken or irritated skin, on rashes, and on a high fever where the body is already too warm. In pregnancy, an external wrap of this strength is generally fine; ask your midwife if you are unsure. Discontinue if the skin reddens beyond a mild warm flush.