Camomiles

The dried flowers of the common Camomile are sufficiently familiar to everyone. They are antispasmodic, carminative, and tonic, which render them very useful in dyspepsia and general debility. Camomile tea, as the infusion is generally called, is a most agreeable bitter, and is of almost universal use and acceptance. Taken warm it promotes the action of emetics. The flowers steeped in boilirg water are frequently used as fomentations for abscesses and inflamed parts, to promote suppuration and relieve pain; flannels dipped in the hot decoction answer the same purpose. Boiling water poured over the flowers is the proper way of preparing the tea. It is very wrong to boil them, as many are in the habit of doing, thinking to obtain a greater strength; but the contrary is the case — they lose the chief of their virtues, which consists of an essential oil, that passes off with the steam.

Camomiles, though simple, have great virtues; they are good for debility and loss of appetite, and drank warm at bedtime, are good for colds and to promote perspiration. Many chew these flowers to wean themselves of the beastly and destructive habit of chewing tobacco, for which it serves as a good substitute. We obtain them fresh every season from the growers, so that the quality may be depended on. In addition to the many excellent properties of these flowers, they have proved an efficient remedy for the stone and gravel; also for irritation of the bladder and urinary passages, pains and stitches in the side, etc. Outwardly applied, with poppy heads, they form one of the best fomentations for pains, inflammation, etc., and for almost every other purpose where a fomentation is necessary; it will also be found a valuable remedy to wash eyes that are weak, or where the sight is decaying. A scruple of the powder of camomile taken once every four hours, and continued for four days, cures the ague.

Source: Baldwin’s Herbal Guide To Health, G. Baldwin

Excitement

The common meadow plant, Ladies’ Slipper, used as tea, is good for spasms, hysteria, cramps, nervous headache, fits, neuralgia, hypochondria, fevers, colic, debility, &c., and, wherever it is required to quiet the nervous system, is safer than opium and will act where opium fails. One ounce to a pint of boiling water.

Source: Fray’s Golden Recipes for the use of all ages, E. Fray

Decoction of Bark

Reduce to a powder one ounce of Peruvian bark, put it into a pint and a half of water ; boil till it is reduced to a pint, then strain. Dose, from one to three ounces. Used in cases of diarrhoea, dysentery, indigestion, debility, &c.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Hints to Young Ladies (I)

Two simple chemicals should appear on every toilet-table : the carbonate of ammonia and powdered charcoal. No cosmetic has more frequent uses than these. The ammonia must be kept in glass with a glass stopper from the air. French charcoal is preferred by physicians, as it is more finely ground, and a large bottle of it should be kept on hand. In cases of debility, and all wasting disorders it is valuable. To clear the complexion, take a teaspoonful of charcoal well mixed in water or honey for three nights, then use a simple purgative to remove it from the system. It acts like calomel with no bad effect, purifying the blood more effectually than any thing else. But do not omit the aperient, or the charcoal will remain in the system. After this course of purification, tonics may be used.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

Nervous Pill

Alcoholic extract of the Ignatia Amara (St Ignatius bean) 30 grains; powdered gum arabic 10 grains. Make into 40 pills.

Dose: One pill to be taken an hour after breakfast, and one an hour before retiring at night. Half a pill is enough for young, or very old or very delicate persons. The pills may be easily cut if laid on a damp cloth for a few moments.

These pills will be found applicable in bad dyspepsia, nervous headache, sleeplessness, palpitation of the heart, confusion of thought, determination of blood to the head, failure of memory, and all other forms of general nervous debility, no matter of how long standing. Where a prominent advantage is discovered in two weeks from the commencement of the medicine, one a day will suffice until all are taken.

The extract is made by pulverizing the seed or bean, and putting it into alcohol from ten to fourteen days, then evaporating to the consistency for working into pill mass with the powdered gum.

Source: Dr Chase’s Recipes, or Information for Everybody, A.W. Chase

A Tonic

Mix one teaspoonful of powdered rhubarb with the same quantity of dried bicarbonate of soda, then add two teaspoonfuls of powdered calumba root. Dose, from ten to twenty grains as a tonic, after fevers, in all cases of debility and dyspepsia attended with acidity.

Source: Enquire Within Upon Everything