A soft, moist mass (usually made of meal, clay, or herbs) spread on cloth and applied to the body as a medical treatment, also called a poultice.
From Greek 'kataplassein' meaning 'to plaster down,' from 'kata-' (down) and 'plassein' (to mold). This medical term has been used since ancient Greece and Rome, describing the same basic treatment method for nearly 2,500 years.
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