Poultice

A poultice or cataplasm, also called a fomentation, is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, that is applied to the skin to reduce inflammation, soothe pain, promote healing, or otherwise treat wounds or ailments. Soft materials like cereals are used as a base, to which agents intended to affect the body, transdermally, may be added. The preparation is usually spread on cloth, which is then applied to the body part to be treated. The cloth is used to keep the preparation in place, or additional bandaging to hold the poultice may be employed. Direct topical application (without cloths) is also used.

Poultice may also refer to a porous solid, filled with a solvent used to remove stains from porous stone such as marble or granite.

The word poultice comes from the Greek word poltos transformed to the Latin: puls, pultes, 'porridge'.