For Heartburn

10 grains carbonate of magnesia
5 grains flour of ginger
5 grains carbonate of soda
15 grains powdered liquorice

To be taken as a powder 2 or 3 times a day.

Source: The Northampton Cookery Book, M.A. Jeffery

Bleeding at the Nose

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into one-half cup of water, pour a small quantity of this at a time into the hollow of the hand and draw up, by sniffs into the nostrils.

Source: The Inglenook Cook Book

Pomatum (Elder-Flower)

Melt together over a slow fire two ounces of marrow, and the same amount of refined lard, then add four ounces of elder-flower oil and stir till it is nearly cold.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Burns

Anything which excludes air without tainting the wound or irritating it further helps a bad burn. Carron oil — a creamy mixture of lime water and sweet oil — applied with a feather, then covered with cotton, either batting or absorbent, gives a measure of relief and is also healing. Soft old linen coated with fresh egg-white laid on and allowed to dry soothes pain. Even a covering with dry flour, if nothing else is handy, is better than leaving the burn bare. But if at all serious, or even is shallow and wide spread, call a doctor instantly, meantime keeping up heart action with stimulants in small doses often repeated.

Source: Harper’s Household Handbook: A guide to easy ways of doing woman’s work, Martha McCulloch-Williams

For the Hooping Cough

Dissolve 1 scruple of salt of tartar in 1 1/4 pint of cold water: add 10 grains of pounded cochineal, and sweeten with lump sugar. The dose increased in proportion to the age of the patient; for a child five years old, a table-spoonful is sufficient; for adults 2 table-spoonsful 3 times a day. Abstain from all acids.

Source: The English Housekeeper, Anne Cobbett

Mixture for a Cold

The juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 small teaspoonful sweet spirits of nitre
1 teaspoonful glycerine
A little honey

Put these ingredients into a tumbler and then fill 3 parts full of boiling water. Drink last thing at night.

Source: The Northampton Cookery Book, M.A. Jeffery

Violet Mouthwash

Mix equal quantities of tincture of orris, spirits of roses, and common spirit, with a few drops of otto of almonds.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Bites and Stings

Stings from wasps, bees, and ants need treatment with fruit acids — bathe in vinegar or apply a slice of raw apple or peach or a crushed grape. Instant sucking removes part of the poison and relieves the pain to a degree. Always suck bites, as of spiders, unless there are abrasions of tongue and lips. After sucking bathe freely with fresh peroxide of hydrogen, boracic acid, or sugar-of-lead water. A leaf of green plantain, well bruised, bound on a bite or sting when nothing else is at hand keeps down inflammation and mitigates pain. In case of stings make sure the sting proper has not been left in the wound, since its presence might induce blood poisoning.

Source: Harper’s Household Handbook: A guide to easy ways of doing woman’s work, Martha McCulloch-Williams

Hives

Epsom salts will check bold hives. Dose, two tablespoonfuls. Continue taking one teaspoonful a day until no more hives appear.

Source: The Inglenook Cook Book

Lotions for Ringworm

Sulphate of zinc, two scruples; sugar of lead, fifteen grains; water, six ounces. Wash the parts two or three times a day.

Or: paint the rings with black writing ink.

Tincture of iodine, applied with a feather, is considered to be a speedy cure.

Another good remedy is two drams of muriated tincture of steel (steel drops) mixed with four tablespoonfuls of soft water. Bathe with it night and morning, and let a little of the lotion dry on.

Source: Recipes for the Million