The best way to prepare a mud pack is to take clay from about four inches below the surface of the earth. Ensure that the clay does not contain any impurities, like compost Or pebbles. If there arc any pebbles, grind the clay and pass it through a sieve. Mix it With cold water and see that it has a consistency like soft dough. It should stick and not be thin enough to slide down when used in the pack. If the pack is to be applied on the abdomen (from the navel to the pubes) spread the mud evenly on a piece of cloth. See that it is about half an inch thick. Then place it gently with the cloth up and the mud touching the skin. Remove the cloth and place a thick woollen piece of cloth on the mud. You may even let the cotton cloth remain over the mud, but cover it with a thick woollen. If that is done the patient can keep lying down without covering himself with a blanket or a sheet.
Mix few grams of this powder with rose water and apply on the skin. Leave it for fifteen minutes and wash it off with plain water.
The mud pack should be used for 20 to 30 minutes. After it is removed, clean the skin using a soft piece of cloth dipped in cold water.
Clay is to be found in different shades in different places, but whatever the colour, it is equally beneficial. If the mud is loamy and has a tendency to stick to the skin, some sand can be mixed with it.
