castor oil packs-real treatment or quackery?

Ok, I'm totally interested here. I have naturopath friends, and I have exactly the same questions about these herbs that "draw" things out. How in the world do they draw anything? Are they chemical magnets?On the other hand, one of the "drawing" mixes I've seen used is a Nature's Sunshine product called "black ointment" that has comfrey and some other herbs in it. It is absolutely miraculous on horrific insect bites, including being a 100% successful remedy so far to brown recluse bites, which do not even pretend to start healing with any other remedies I've seen tried. I also used it on a runaway tick bite that had caused swelling over about 1/3 of my thigh and most of my abdomen (frightening to say the least).I don't know if it really draws anything, but it sure works on recluse bites.Does anyone know whether there's any such thing as medication that draws things out? I have heard castor oil said to be able to do that. I, too, have found that claim unbelievable.

Castor oil is also used in midwifery circles to get labor started when the expecting mother is late (or impatient), rather than going straight to pitocin (sp?), which sometimes causes a pretty ineffective labor.Rumor has it (even from my wife who is a doula and has seen it used far more than I have) that it is mildly effective for this purpose, though the three or four mothers I knew who tried it just found it effective as a laxative .