A Cure for Rheumatism
One quart of milk, quite hot, into which stir one ounce of alum; this will make curds and whey. Bathe the parts affected with the whey until too cold. In the meantime keep the curds hot, and, after bathing, put them on a poultice, wrap in flannel, and go to sleep (you can). Three applications should be a perfect cure, even in aggravated cases.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
French Lip Salve
Lard, twenty-six ounces; white wax, two ounces; nitre and alum in fine powder, of each one-half ounce; alkanet to color.
Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information
Toothache
Toothache can be effectually cured by putting a small piece of cotton wet with ammonia into the cavity of the affected tooth; or, pulverize about equal parts of common salt and alum. Cut as much cotton as will fill the tooth; damp it; put it in the mixture, and place it in the tooth. This is also a good mixture for cleansing the teeth.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Wash to Prevent Sunburn
Take two drams of borax, one dram of Roman alum, one dram of camphor, half an ounce of sugar candy, one pound of ox-gall. Mix and stir well together, and repeat the stirring three or four times a day until it becomes transparent; then strain it through filtering or blotting paper, and it will be fit for use. Wash the face with the mixture before you go into the sun.
Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information
How to Get Rid of Bedbugs
Bedbugs cannot stand hot alum water; indeed, alum seems to be death to them in any form. Take two pounds of alum, reduce it to a powder — the finer the better — and dissolve it in about four quarts of boiling water. Keep the water hot till the alum is all dissolved; then apply it hot to every joint, crevice and place about the bedstead, floor, skirting or washboard around the room, and every place where the bugs are likely to congregate, by means of a brush. A common syringe is an excellent thing to use in applying it to the bedstead. Apply the water as hot as you can. Apply it freely, and you will hardly be troubled any more that season with bugs. Whitewash the ceiling with plenty of dissolved alum in the wash, and there will be an end to their dropping down from thence on to your bed.
Source: The Ladies’ Book of Useful Information
Falling of the Womb, White Oak Bark for
“A mild infusion of white oak bark, or of alum or tannin, used in quantities of a pint, as a douche, will often give immediate relief.”
Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter
Nosebleed, Alum as a cure for
“Apply cold water to face and back of neck; snuff powdered alum.” The powdered alum contracts the blood vessels, thereby shutting off the supply of blood. The cold water applied to the back of the neck affects the nervous system in such a manner that the blood vessels are contracted and so the blood supply is diminished.
Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter
Lemon Cream for Sunburn and Freckles
Put two spoonfuls of sweet cream into half a pint of new milk, squeeze into it the juice of a lemon, add half a glass of genuine French brandy, a little alum and loaf sugar; boil the whole, skim it well, and when cool it is fit for use.
Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information
Corns
Corns are of three kinds: callous spots, soft corns, and corns. Callous spots may be rubbed or pared down and rubbed with cocoa butter. Soft corns come between the toes and are very painful. Soak absorbent cotton in a little turpentine and put between the toes; or sprinkle the cotton with powdered alum. These corns are supposed to be due to moisture between the toes and are sometimes cured and often prevented by keeping absorbent cotton between the toes. Prevention saves a lot of suffering. “Just corns” are calloused spots with a hard center; pressure on this causes pain. Soaking in hot water, and shaving off as much of the hardened skin as can be removed with safety, affords relief. The little hard core should be taken out.
Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter
Good Old Mother’s Remedy for Sore Throat
“Steep a medium sized red pepper in one-half pint of water, strain and add one-fourth pint of good vinegar and a heaping teaspoonful each of salt and powdered alum and gargle with it as often as needed. This is a very good remedy.”
Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter