For Bruises and Swellings

Use distilled witch-hazel, wetting a cloth and applying frequently. Both better and cheaper than arnica.

Source: The New Galt Cook Book, M. Taylor & F. McNaught

Excellent Liniment for Sprains or Bruises

Two ounces gum camphor, eight ounces alcohol, one ounce organum, one ounce amber, one-half ounce oil spikenard, three ounces laudanum, four ounces sweet oil, eight ounces hartshorn, one ounce spirits turpentine.

Source: Tried and True Recipes, F.D.P. Jermain

Camphorated Oil

Put into a large bottle four ounces of olive oil and four of spirits of camphor, and shake well. When there is pain in the chest or lungs rub with the camphorated oil. This is excellent to use in case of sprains or bruises.

Source: Miss Parloa’s Young Housekeeper, Maria Parloa

Cure for Cuts and Bruises

Cut fingers and bruises of all kinds if wrapped in a cloth wet in alum water heal with a rapidity that is truly wonderful.

Source: The New Galt Cook Book, M. Taylor & F. McNaught

Liniment for Rheumatism, Sprains and Bruises

One ounce spirits of ammonia, one ounce spirits of turpentine, one ounce tincture of opium, one pint rain water, add a little soap. Shake well before using. Bathe affected part well with hot water before applying.

Source: The New Galt Cook Book, M. Taylor & F. McNaught

Poultices

A Bread and Milk Poultice. — Put a tablespoonful of the crumbs of stale bread into a gill of milk, and give the whole one boil up. Or, take stale bread-crumbs, pour over them boiling water and boil till soft, stirring well; take from the fire and gradually stir in a little glycerine or sweet oil, so as to render the poultice pliable when applied.

A Hop Poultice. — Boil one handful of dried hops in half a pint of water, until the half pint is reduced to a gill, then stir into it enough Indian meal to thicken it.

A Mustard Poultice. — Into one gill of boiling water stir one tablespoonful of Indian meal; spread the paste thus made upon a cloth, and spread over the paste one teaspoonful of mustard flour. If you wish a mild poultice, use a teaspoonful of mustard as it is prepared for the table, instead of the mustard flour. Equal parts of ground mustard and flour made into a paste with warm water, and spread between two pieces of muslin, form the indispensable mustard plaster.

A Ginger Poultice. — This is made like a mustard poultice, using ground ginger instead of mustard. A little vinegar is sometimes added to each of these poultices.

A Stramonium Poultice. — Stir one tablespoonful of Indian meal into a gill of boiling water, and add one tablespoonful of bruised stramonium seeds.

Wormwood and Arnica are sometimes applied in poultices. Steep the herbs in half a pint of cold water, and when all their virtue is extracted stir in a little bran or rye-meal to thicken the liquid; the herbs must not be removed from the liquid. This is a useful application for sprains and bruises.

Linseed Poultice. — Take four ounces of powdered linseed, and gradually sprinkle it into a half pint of hot water.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison

Bruises

Rest, and bathe in cold water. If the skin is unbroken, apply half a teaspoonful of arnica lotion to a tumblerful of water; soft linen rags wet with this lotion to be applied, and changed as often as they become warm and dry.

Source: Household Gas Cookery Book, Helen Edden

Bruises

The only treatment that does any good is to bathe the bruised part with cold water — the colder the better — to check the diffusion of blood through the tissues. The part should be kept as still as possible and not be rubbed. Applying a piece of raw meat to a black eye may not do any harm, but it certainly has no useful effect.

Source: The Complete Household Adviser

Bruises

To allay the pain of bruises do not use tincture of arnica; but apply the following lotion on a piece of uncovered lint: one part of spirit and one part of solution of acetate of ammonia (B.P.) to eight parts of water. When the pain of a bruise has been allayed, the absorption of the residual swelling and discoloration may be hastened by gentle massage. So much for the surgical requisites.

Source: The Girl’s Own Paper

Healing Salve

One lb. Lard, 1/2 lb. Resin, 1/2 lb. Sweet Elder bark. Simmer over a slow fire 4 hours, or until it forms a hard, brown salve. This is for the cure of cuts, bruises, boils, old sores and all like ailments. Spread on a cotton cloth and apply to the parts affected.

Source: One Thousand Secrets of Wise and Rich Men Revealed, C. A. Bogardus