Hair Restorer
One ounce of tincture of cantharides, one ounce of spirits of rosemary, four ounces of olive oil. Well shake every time it is used, and rub a small quantity on the skin of the head every evening before going to bed, and in the morning, after the head has been well washed with cold water, and dried.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Brown Mixture For Coughs
Dissolve one ounce of gum arabic, one ounce of licorice, and one ounce of brown sugar-candy, in half a pint of boiling water. When cold, add one ounce of elixir of paregoric, and one-half an ounce of antimonial wine. Take a tablespoonful of this mixture whenever the cough is troublesome, and upon going to bed.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Curling Fluid
A curling fluid which is easily prepared may be made of quince seeds and hot water. Pour a pint of hot water over about three teaspoonfuls of seeds and allow it to stand for several hours. Later it may be thinned by water or cologne. About two tablespoonfuls of cologne will suffice. Moisten the hair with this fluid before curling.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Camphor Ice for Chapped Hands
Take of spermaceti four ounces, white wax (pure), eight ounces; oil of sweet almonds, one pint. Mix together by a gentle heat, add of camphor (in small pieces), four ounces; when dissolved stir until partly cold, and add essential oil of bitter almonds and expressed oil of mace, two fluid drachms, and pour into moulds.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
To Get Rid Of Corns
Dress them every night with turpentine. After a fortnight or three weeks of this treatment, the corns, with their roots, will “tumble out.”
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Figs for Carbuncles or Boils
A poultice of ripe figs is one of the best things known for carbuncles or boils. Must be well washed and peeled.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Quick Relief for a Cough
If any member of the family coughs persistently in the night and one happens to be out of the usual remedy, wring out a soft, thick flannel from water as hot as can be borne, brush lightly and quickly with a feather which has been plunged in turpentine, and apply to the chest. If the flesh is very sensitive, it might be well to rub well with vaseline or sweet oil before making the hot application.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Swollen Throat
If the throat becomes badly swollen and very painful, apply a poultice of flaxseed upon which you have poured a little warm lard and laudanum.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
For the Prevention of Wrinkles
The white of an egg, beaten with five grammes of alum in five grammes of sweet oil, applied as paste to the face on retiring, prevents wrinkles, keeps the flesh from becoming flabby, and is strengthening and softening to the skin.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
To Keep the Hands from Perspiring
To keep the hands from perspiring, make a lotion consisting of a quarter of an ounce of powdered alum and one teaspoonful of spirits of ammonia in a pint of boiling water. When cool, bottle it, and use on the hands freely.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts