Some Simple Remedies From a Texas Lady

For Indigestion: One-quarter of a teaspoon of soda, 10 drops of peppermint in 1/3 of a glass of water.

For Sick Headache: The juice of 1 lemon in a half glass of water, either hot or cold; a little sugar and 1/4 of a teaspoon of soda.

Source: Tested Recipe Cook Book, Mrs H.L. Wilson

To Cure Earache

Take a bit of cotton batting, put on it a pinch of black pepper, gather it up and tie it, dip it in sweet oil, and insert it in the ear; put a flannel bandage over the head to keep it warm; it often gives immediate relief.

Tobacco smoke, puffed into the ear, has often been effectual.

Another remedy: Take equal parts of tincture of opium and glycerine. Mix, and from a warm teaspoon drop two or three drops into the ear, stop the ear tight with cotton, and repeat every hour or two. If matter should form in the ear, make a suds with castile soap and warm water, about 100° F., or a little more than milk warm, and have some person inject it into the ear while you hold that side of your head the lowest. If it does not heal in due time, inject a little carbolic acid and water in the proportion of one drachm of the acid to one pint of warm water each time after using the suds.

Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette

Preventive of Seasickness

The following remedy, preventive of seasickness, is recommended by Prof. E. Tourgee, of Boston, manager of tourist excursions. It was tried by himself and family, five in all, who had suffered from seasickness on every former voyage across the Atlantic, and in each case it proved entirely successful, and produced no unfavorable results.

Dissolve 1 ounce of bromide of sodium in 4 ounces of water; take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day before eating. Begin taking the above 3 days before starting on the sea voyage.

Source: Tested Recipe Cook Book, Mrs H.L. Wilson

A Most Excellent Remedy for Toothache

Alcohol one ounce, laudanum one drachm, chloroform five drachms, gum camphor one-half drachm, oil of cloves one-half drachm, sulph. ether two drachms, oil of lavender one drachm. Saturate a small piece of cotton, and put into the cavity; be careful not to touch any part of the mouth with it as it is very pungent; put the cotton on the point of some sharp instrument, put it into the cavity and place a small piece of clean cotton over it.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

A Plaster for Sprains or Attacks of Rheumatism in Joints

Take equal parts of resin and Burgundy pitch, melt in a tin dipper, and when liquid put in a piece of camphor gum as large as an English walnut, and half that, in size, of opium. Stir till all is dissolved, as it will soon be if kept hot, and when none of the gum is visible spread on thin leather or thick drilling. Apply while warm and it will relieve the pain. These are all excellent, tried remedies.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Restorative Jelly

One-half box gelatine, 1 cup port wine, 1 tablespoon of powdered gum arabic, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 2 cloves. Put all together in a glass jar, and cover closely. Place the jar on a trivet in a kettle of cold water. Heat it slowly and when the mixture is dissolved, stir well and strain. Pour into a shallow dish, and when cool cut it into small squares. This is good for an old person or a very weak patient.

Source: Tested Recipe Cook Book, Mrs H.L. Wilson

Eye-Water Recipe

Cut a fresh hard-boiled egg into halves while hot, remove the yolk, fill the cavity with white vitriol, close the egg again, place in a vessel and cover tight to prevent the steam from escaping. Let it stand ten minutes, then take off the shell and strain the other part through a cloth. Add one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt and a gill of rain water.

Source: 76: A Cook Book

To make a rare Medicine for the Chine-Cough

Make a Syrrop of Hysop-water and white Sugar Candy, then take the Powder of Gum Dragon, and as much of white Sugar Candy mixed together, and eat of it several times of the day, or take the above-named Syrrop, either of them will do the Cure.

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

For Felons

Take a portion of the bark of sweet elder, or hops will do; then put it with some sweet cream into a cup, and boil a short time;then put in a lump of saltpetre twice as large as a pear; let it slowly dry away to the consistency of a salve, which apply to the felon. The salt petre is the cure, but the elder bark and sweet cream aid in easing the pain. By putting in enough saltpetre, any felon can be cured in 48 hours, and the pain will cease almost immediately.

Source: 76: A Cook Book

Remedy for Croup

One pint of olive oil, 1 ounce of gum camphor (pulverized), 2 ounces of white wax. Pour the olive oil into a covered vessel, place it over the fire, add the gum camphor and let slowly boil until the camphor is all dissolved, then add the wax, stirring thoroughly, until melted. Pour the contents of the vessel into glass jars and screw the tops firmly down. Keep in a dark place. This salve is to be used as a plaster over the throat and chest. In my own experience I have found it to be a most excellent remedy for croup. It is also very good for asthma.

Source: Tested Recipe Cook Book, Mrs H.L. Wilson