Old Time Remedies

The remedies our ancestors used -- or, at least, were told to use! Folk remedies, old wives' tales, mediaeval cures... they're all here.

NOTE: these remedies are listed only for information and/or amusement. They are not to be construed as medical advice of any type, nor are they recommended for use. Consult your doctor for any medical advice you require.

 

Monday, 19 January 2009

Bronchitis, General Relief for

"Dose of castor oil every night; one teaspoonful for child. Grease well with camphorated oil or any good oil." The castor oil is very good for carrying off the phlegm from the stomach and bowels that children always swallow instead of coughing up like an older person. It is well in addition to the above remedy to give a little licorice or onion syrup to relieve the bronchial cough.

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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Friday, 2 January 2009

Whooping Cough Syrup

One ounce flax seed, one ounce slippery elm, one ounce boneset, one ounce stick liquorice, one and one-half pounds loaf sugar, one pint Orleans molasses. Put first three ingredients in thin muslin bag, and boil one hour in sufficient water to cover well. Dissolve the liquorice in one pint of water; then boil all together a few moments.

DOSE.-- One teaspoonful every hour or two, as the case may require.

Source: Recipes Tried and True, Ladies' Aid Society of the First Presbyterian Church of Marion, Ohio

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Sunday, 19 October 2008

The Best Cough Syrup

For making the best cough syrup, take 1 oz of thoroughworth; 1 oz of slippery elm; 1 oz of stick licorice; and 1 oz of flax seed; simmer together in 1 qt of water until the strength is entirely extracted. Strain carefully, add 1 pt of best molasses and 1/2 lb of loaf sugar; simmer them all well together, and when cold bottle tight. This is the cheapest, best, and safest medicine now or ever in use.

A few doses of one tablespoon at a time will alleviate the most distressing cough of the lungs, soothes and allays irritation, and if continued, subdues any tendency to consumption; breaks up entirely the whooping cough, and no better remedy can be found for croup, asthma, bronchitis, and all affections of the lungs and throat. Thousands of precious lives may be saved every year by this cheap and simple remedy, as well as thousands of dollars which would otherwise be spent in the purchase of nostrums which are both useless and dangerous.

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

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Monday, 31 March 2008

A Water for a Consumption, or for a Brain that is weak

Take Cream (or new milk) and Claret-wine, of each three pints, of Violet-flowers, Bugloss and Borage-flowers, of each a spoonful, Comfrey, Knot-grass, and Plantane of these half a handful, three or four Pome-waters sliced, a stick of Liquorish, some Pompion seeds and strings; put to this a Cock that hath been chased and beaten before he was killed, dress it as to boil, and parboil it until there be no blood in it; then put them in a pot, and set them over your Limbeck, and the soft fire; draw out a pottle of water, then put your water in a Pipkin over a Charcoal fire, and boil it a while, dissolve therein six ounces of white Sugar-candy, & two penny weight of Saffron; when it is cold strain it into a glass, & let the Patient drink three or four spoonfuls three or four times a day blood-warm; your Cock must be cut into small pieces, & the bones broken, and in case the flowers and herbs are bard to come by, a spoonful of their stilled waters are to be used.

Source: A Queen's Delight: Or, The Art of Preserving, Conserving and Candying, Nathaniel Brooke

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Friday, 28 March 2008

Dr. Butler's Purging Ale

Take of Sarsaparilla two ounces, of Polypody of the Oak, and Sena, of each four ounces, Caraway seed, and Aniseed, of each half an ounce, Liquorish two ounces, Maidenhair, and Agrimony, of each one little handful, Scurvey half a bushel; beat all these grosly, and put them into a course Canvas Bag, and hang it into three gallons of strong Ale; when it is three days old drink it.

Source: The Queens Cabinet Opened: Or, The Pearle of Practice. Accurate, Physical and Chirurgical Receipts, Nathaniel Brooke

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Sunday, 23 March 2008

Cough, Reliable Mixture in Severe Cases

"Oil of Anise 1/2 ounce
Syrup of Balsam of Tolu 1/2 ounce
Black Stick Licorice 1/2 ounce
Best Rye Whisky 1 pint

Shake well before using. Dose:-- One teaspoonful at intervals of one hour or oftener; if cough is very bad."

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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Wednesday, 5 March 2008

Bronchial, or any Severe Cough. One of the best Home Remedies

"Hoarhound (herb form) -- 1 ounce
Irish moss -- 1 ounce
Flax Seed (the seed not pulverized) -- 1 ounce
Boneset -- 1 ounce
Licorice Root (cut up fine) -- 1 ounce

Place the above in some suitable pan or dish for such purpose in a gallon of cold water, and put it on the back of the stove, so that it will simmer slowly until reduced to one-half gallon, which may require one day or more, then strain and place in a bottle, or bottles. Dose.-- One wineglassful three times a day. Add a little sugar if desired." This is a very fine cough remedy, as the hoarhound loosens the cough, the flax seed soothes the membrane, and the boneset by its general action on the system produces sweating. The Irish moss is a sort of food for the whole system and helps to build a person up.

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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Sunday, 24 February 2008

Bowel Trouble in Children, Rhubarb and Licorice for

"Compound tincture of rhubarb one ounce, bicarbonate of soda 1 dram, fluid extract of licorice 1 dram, pure water 6 ounces. Give from one to two teaspoonfuls according to the age of the child." This will be found a very good treatment for this trouble, and one that has been thoroughly tried.

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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Sunday, 10 February 2008

Blood Purifier, Herb Tea Used as

"Burdock Root 2 ounces
Yellow Dock 2 ounces
Slippery Elm Bark 1 ounce
Mezeron Root 1 ounce
Licorice Juice 1 ounce

Simmer gently in three pints of water down to one quart; when cold, strain and add one-fourth ounce of iodine potassium." A wineglassful may be taken three times a day. This preparation is a fine blood purifier and can be relied upon.

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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Tuesday, 8 January 2008

Bronchitis, Grandmother's Remedy for

"Hoarhound 5 cents worth
Hops 5 cents worth
Wild cherry bark 5 cents worth
Licorice root 5 cents worth

"Boil and simmer altogether in two quarts of water long enough to get the strength out of the ingredients, strain, add three cups sugar, then add enough good whisky to keep from souring, say a half pint." This combination is not only good for bronchitis, but for the cough left from the effects of bronchitis. The hoarhound, wild cherry bark and licorice root have a very soothing effect on the bronchial tubes, and the hops quiets the nervous system. This is also good for a common cough.

Source: Mother's Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

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