Plasterface was just a phase
Updated: Jul 10, 2020
My plastered face was my favorite. Life is a cycle that runs on learning, letting and luring through what the world has to offer. Somewhere between the saga, are the wounds - mental and physical; both hurting from in and out. There are phases where we tend to tear up ourselves to bind the wounds we ended up with. Instead, what if we exploit those deep cuts, forge them into wisdom - the one that’ll live forever. The pessimist in us from deep within, tends to stress & strain over the mishaps, struggling to get past the present, crying over what now is the past. Instead wake up to a morning, to focus on the endearments rather, the warmth of care and comfort selfless mates of yours touched you with. Wounds in you, will bleed forever; left behind would be the scars - the ones that’ll teach you to see beyond. Don’t let it stain you, coz the plaster face is just a phase; unveil the unheard, empty your hands, pull out the pain and inscribed will these be in your book of life. Words taunt, memories haunt and the flesh carries the scar, what mightier than oneself, do we posses to fight against.
The worst of my wounds, I am healing, stubborn not to erase, reluctant to conceal, ignorant of shame and letting light invade. All those voices; from distant & near, intruding while I enjoy the music and dance by the shore, plastered should they all be – infecting all that I heroically found.
I have let my guards down; come, kiss my wounds, coz they ain’t bitter. Let your fingers feel them, and let it not sting me anymore.
Were you plastered all over your body post being injured in an accident where 16 of your bones lost hope in you and decided to rest for a while ? I have !
Diving deep into the history of immobilisation of injured limbs aka plaster body 🤪
Immobilization of injured limbs has been performed for thousands of years now. Before contemporary casting materials were discovered, people used a variety of materials to form rigid casts. Over the centuries the technique of immobilization has evolved from using simple wooden splints and rags to plaster of Paris, fibre and soft casts.
The earliest examples of the active management of fractures in humans were discovered at Naga-ed-Der in 1903 during the Hearst Egyptian Expedition, it is described as two sets of splints that were found during excavations of tombs from the fifth dynasty (2494-2345 BC). One of the earliest descriptions of the material was by Hippocrates in 350 BC as he had back then written about wrapping injured limbs in bandages soaked in wax and resin.
Later El Zahrawi (960-1013 AD), a surgeon born near Córdoba in Spain, mentioned about the use of both clay gum mixtures and flour and egg white as casting materials. Further advances in the choice of materials were made during the wars. The first use of plaster of Paris as a cast for injured limbs took place through a technique known as plâtre coulé that became popular in Europe at the beginning of 19th century. This technique involved pouring plaster of Paris around injured limbs encased in a wooden construct.
Plaster of Paris is produced by removing the impurities from the mined gypsum and then heating it under controlled conditions to reduce the amount of water of crystallization. Plaster of Paris was well known as a building material for many centuries before it was introduced as casting material. Egyptians as well as Romans used it for plastering walls however not more is known on plaster use after the end of Roman occupation. In modern day England, it was widely excavated in Roman coffins discovered in York, and on the walls in the military barracks of the Second Augustian Legion excavated at Caerleon in Monmouthshire.
Featuring unnikuttan aka @sreekanthbhasi ‘s plasterface.