Camphor and Borax Hair Wash

1/2 oz camphor
1 oz borax powder

Cut the camphor into small pieces, add the borax, put into a jug and pour over a quart of boiling water. When cold bottle. When required, strain a little through a muslin into a saucer and rub on the head with a sponge or a piece of flannel.

Source: Still Room Cookery, C.S. Peel

Elder Tea

Make a strong tea of elder-flowers, either fresh or dried. Sweeten with honey. This tea is to be drunk as hot as possible ,after the person is warm in bed; it produces a strong perspiration, and a slight cold or cough yields to it immediately; but the more stubborn requires two or three repetitions. Used in Russia. This is an excellent remedy for colds attended with feverish symptoms and sore throat.

Source: The Universal Cookery Book, Gertrude Strohm

Health Gems for Constipation

One quart unsifted wheat bran, 1 pint entire wheat flour, 1 pint milk, 6 tablespoons molasses, 2 teaspoons soda, salt. Makes two dozen gems.

Source: Cook Book, Woman’s Association of the Church of the Evangel, Congregational

Hiccough

An attack may often be stopped by holding the breath for half a minute or so and then breathing very slowly, or by a draught of cold water.

Source: The Complete Household Adviser

Lotion for Chapped Hands

Soak 1/8 oz gum tragacanth in one pint soft water for three days, or until quite soft, then add to it one gill alcohol, 1 gill glycerine, and 1/4 gill cologne. Shake well and it is ready for use.

Source: Book of Recipes, Daughters of the American Revolution, Genesee Chapter

A Hair Tonic

Scald two ounces of black tea in one gallon of boiling water; add three ounces of glycerine, one quart of bay rum and half an ounce of the tincture of cantharides; scald for five minutes longer; strain and bottle. This will prevent the hair from falling out, and at the same time will stimulate a new and healthy growth.

Source: The Kentucky Housewife, Mrs Peter A. White

To Destroy a Wart

Wet frequently with strong soda (baking) water. Touched two or three times a day with castor oil will hurry the process.

Source: Book of Recipes, Daughters of the American Revolution, Genesee Chapter

Gargles

For sore and inflamed throat, dissolve 1 dram of alum in 12 oz of water. For ulcerated throat: 1 oz, by measure, of Condy’s fluid in 12 oz of water.

Source: The Complete Household Adviser

Elecampane and Hoarhound Syrup

Put a pint of hoarhound in a quart of water, and let it draw by the fire; put a tea-cupful of dried elecampane root in a pint of water, cover it close, and let it boil till all the strength is out; strain it and the hoarhound together, and put them to boil with a pound of sugar; when it is a rich syrup, pour it in a pitcher to cool, and bottle it. Take a table-spoonful at a time when the cough is troublesome. Sometimes flaxseed is a useful addition to this syrup.

Source: Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and Hints to Young Housekeepers, Elizabeth E. Lea

Cologne Water

No. 1:

1 drachm oil lavender.
1 drachm oil bergamot.
2 drachm oil lemon.
2 drachm oil rosemary.
50 drops tincture of musk.
8 drops oil of cinnamon.
8 drops oil of cloves.
1 pint of alcohol.

No. 2:

60 drops oil of lavender.
60 drops oil of bergamot.
60 drops oil of lemon.
60 drops orange-flower water.
1 pint of alcohol.

Cork and shake well.

Source: Common Sense in the Household, Marion Harland