Walt Whitman’s Health Tips

It has recently come to light that the US poet Walt Whitman also published a series of tips for health in 1858. Written under a pseudonym, the tips for “Manly Health and Training” contain much that would be familiar to those seeking health advice today – though few of the “patent” remedies that might otherwise have been suggested in that era; Whitman’s emphasis was on exercise and a very plain diet.

Bran

Get nice clean coarse bran from the mill, and after your breakfast put about five teaspoonfuls into a tumbler, and fill it up with cream, (milk will do if you have no cream,) put a little salt in if you prefer. Most excellent for dyspepsia, or constipation, and will prolong ones life indefinitely, and you may possibly live to see your great-great-grand-children.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

Remedy for Rheumatism

One-half pint of turpentine, one-half pint of alcohol, one ounce of camphor, one ounce saltpetre, one ounce ammonia, one-eighth of an ounce of cayenne pepper. Shake well before applying.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

A Shiny Nose

Add a little alcohol to the water in which you wash your face. Keep on hand a bottle containing: Boracic acid, one dram; rosewater, four ounces; mix. Apply the lotion as often as necessary.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

In Cases of Serious Hemorrhage after Tooth-Extraction

The plugging of the cavity with wool soaked in turpentine is at once rapid and effectual.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Cholera Mixture

Laudanum, tincture of Rhubarb, and spirits of camphor, equal parts. Begin with thirty drops, taken clear and unmixed, with a little sugar placed in the mouth afterwards. Repeat the dose (after every evacuation) increasing it if the case becomes urgent to sixty drops, (a teaspoonful), or ninety if necessary. No household should be without this remedy, particularly in the summer.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

For a Consumption

Take of Syrrop of Violets, Syrrop of Horehound, Syrrop of Maidenhair and Conserve of Fox Lungs, of each one ounce, mix them well together, and take it often upon a Liquoras stick in the day time, and at night.

Source: The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet, Hannah Wolley

Infusion of Rhubarb

Take of

• Rhubarb, half an ounce ;
• Boiling water, eight ounces ;
• Spirit of cinnamon, one ounce.

Macerate the rhubarb in a close vessel with the water, for twelve hours ; then having added the spirit, strain the liquor.

This appears to be one of the best preparations of rhubarb, when designed as a purgative; water extracting its virtue more effectually than either vinous or spiritous menstrua.

Source: The Edinburgh New Dispensatory, Andrew Duncan

An excellent Water for the Stomach, or against Infection

Take Carduus, Mint and Wormwood, of each a like quantity, shred them small and put them into new Milk, distil them in an ordinary Still with a temperate fire; when you take any of it, sweeten it with Sugar, or with any Syrrup, what pleases you best; it is a very good water, though the Ingredients are but mean.

Source: The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet, Hannah Wolley

Banana Juice

In cases of chronic bronchitis, with difficult breathing and scanty expectoration, the use of banana juice has been highly praised. The juice is prepared by cutting up the bananas in small pieces and putting them with plenty of sugar into a closed glass jar. The latter is then placed in cold water, which is gradually made to boil. When the boiling-point is reached, the process is complete. Of the sirup so made, a teaspoonful every hour is the proper dose.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts