Rheumatism

In this complaint the diet should be nourishing, with a little generous wine; costiveness must be carefully avoided. The painful part should be kept warm with flannel, should be frequently rubbed, occasionally electrified, and supplied with the volatile liniment. Blisters, cataplasms of mustard or horseradish, may be applied with advantage.

If these be not effectual, take a pint of the spirits of turpentine, and add half an ounce of camphor. Let it stand till the camphor is dissolved, then rub it on the part affected night and morning, and it will seldom fail to afford effectual relief. This mixture is also very proper for sprains and bruises, and should be kept for family use.

But several of our own domestic plants as above may be used with advantage in the rheumatism. One of the best is the white mustard. A table-spoonful of the seed of this plant may be taken twice or thrice a day, in a glass of water or small wine. The water trefoil is likewise of great use in this complaint. It may be infused in wine or ale, or drunk in the form of tea. The ground-ivy, camomile, and several other bitters, are also beneficial, and may be used in the same manner. No benefit, however, is to be expected from these, unless they be taken for a considerable time.

Cold bathing, especially in salt water, often cures the rheumatism. It is also advisable to take exercise, and wear flannel next the skin. Issues are likewise very proper, especially in chronic cases. If the pain affects the shoulders, an issue may be made in the arm; but if it affects the loins, it should be put into the leg or thigh. Such as are subject to frequent attacks of the rheumatism ought to make choice of a dry, warm situation, to avoid the night air, wet clothes, and wet feet, as much as possible. Their clothing should be warm, and they should wear flannel next their skin, and make frequent use of the flesh brush.

One of the best articles of dress, not only for the prevention of rheumatism, but for powerful co-operation in its cure, is fleecy hosiery. In low marshy situations, the introduction of that manufacture has prevented more rheumatisms, colds, and agues, than all the medicines ever used there. Such of the inhabitants of marshy counties as are in easy circumstances, could not, perhaps, direct their charity and humanity to a better object than to the supplying their poor neighbours with so cheap and simple a preservative.

Source: The Cook And Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary, Mary Eaton

Camomiles

The dried flowers of the common Camomile are sufficiently familiar to everyone. They are antispasmodic, carminative, and tonic, which render them very useful in dyspepsia and general debility. Camomile tea, as the infusion is generally called, is a most agreeable bitter, and is of almost universal use and acceptance. Taken warm it promotes the action of emetics. The flowers steeped in boilirg water are frequently used as fomentations for abscesses and inflamed parts, to promote suppuration and relieve pain; flannels dipped in the hot decoction answer the same purpose. Boiling water poured over the flowers is the proper way of preparing the tea. It is very wrong to boil them, as many are in the habit of doing, thinking to obtain a greater strength; but the contrary is the case — they lose the chief of their virtues, which consists of an essential oil, that passes off with the steam.

Camomiles, though simple, have great virtues; they are good for debility and loss of appetite, and drank warm at bedtime, are good for colds and to promote perspiration. Many chew these flowers to wean themselves of the beastly and destructive habit of chewing tobacco, for which it serves as a good substitute. We obtain them fresh every season from the growers, so that the quality may be depended on. In addition to the many excellent properties of these flowers, they have proved an efficient remedy for the stone and gravel; also for irritation of the bladder and urinary passages, pains and stitches in the side, etc. Outwardly applied, with poppy heads, they form one of the best fomentations for pains, inflammation, etc., and for almost every other purpose where a fomentation is necessary; it will also be found a valuable remedy to wash eyes that are weak, or where the sight is decaying. A scruple of the powder of camomile taken once every four hours, and continued for four days, cures the ague.

Source: Baldwin’s Herbal Guide To Health, G. Baldwin

Cramp

Persons subject to this complaint, being generally attacked in the night, should have a board fixed at the bottom of the bed, against which the foot should be strongly pressed when the pain commences. This will seldom fail to afford relief. When it is more obstinate, a brick should be heated, wrapped in a flannel bag at the bottom of the bed, and the foot placed against it. The brick will continue warm, and prevent a return of the complaint. No remedy however is more safe or more certain than that of rubbing the affected part, to restore a free circulation. If the cramp attack the stomach or bowels, it is attended with considerable danger: medicine may relieve but cannot cure. All hot and stimulating liquors must be carefully avoided, and a tea-cupful of lukewarm gruel or camomile tea should be frequently given, with ten or fifteen drops of deliquidated salt of tartar in each.

Source: The Cook And Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary, Mary Eaton

For Worms

Equal parts of salt and sugar, taken while fasting, are good for worms; a tea-spoonful is sufficient for a child two years old; to take half a cup of chamomile, rue or wormwood tea, with a little sugar, two hours before breakfast, is also good. Give a dose of senna after they have been taking this three days. It is very important to bruise garlic and rue, to apply to the stomach; put it in a bag, and wet it with spirits every day. The garlic and rue is said to keep the worms out of the stomach. Wormseed oil, a few drops at a time, has given relief, but should be used cautiously. Old cheese grated and given to a child, has been known to afford relief: it is also beneficial when a child is seized with sudden illness from having eaten too many cherries.

Source: Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and Hints to Young Housekeepers, Elizabeth E. Lea

Camomile Tea

Put an ounce of camomile flowers into a quart of boiling water; let it simmer for fifteen minutes, then strain. From a wineglassful to a breakfast-cupful to be taken as a dose. When taken warm it acts as an emetic; when cold, as a tonic.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Boils

Bring these tumours to a head by hot poultices of camomile flowers or white lily root, fermenting with hot water, or by a plaster of shoemakers’ wax. When ripe prick the centre with a needle or slit it with a lancet, and apply bread poultices till the discharge is cleared away. Purify the blood with a course of medicine.

Source: Recipes for the Million

For Bilious Complaints and Indigestion

Pour over twenty grains each of rhubarb and ginger, and a handful of camomile flowers, a pint of boiling water. A wine-glassful the first in the morning, and an hour before dinner.

Source: The English Housekeeper, Anne Cobbett

For Weakness of Stomach

1 drachm of prepared Columba root, and 1/2 drachm of rhubarb root, infused in 1/2 pint of boiling water, one day: add 1 oz. tincture of Columba, and a little sugar. 2 table-spoonsful, twice a day.– Or: put about 25 camomile flowers into 1/2 a pint boiling water, with 3 cloves, and 2 hops, cover close and let it stand all night: a tea-cupful first in the morning, and again an hour before dinner. If giddiness ensues, the camomile does not agree with the patient, and must not be continued. Where it does agree, this will be found to restore the appetite.

Source: The English Housekeeper, Anne Cobbett

For Headache

For sick headache induced by bilious derangement, steep five cents’ worth of senna and camomile flowers in a little water, to make a strong decoction and take. It has been tried successfully in various cases. A strong solution of carbonate of soda is also good for headache induced by biliousness; drink little at a time and often.

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

Herb Teas

Herb teas are made by infusing the dried or green leaves and stalks in boiling water, and letting them stand until cold. Sweeten to taste.

Sage tea, sweetened with honey, is good for a sore throat, used as a gargle, with a small bit of alum dissolved in it.

Catnip tea is the best panacea for infant ills, in the way of cold and colic, known to nurses.

Pennyroyal tea will often avert the unpleasant consequences of a sudden check of perspiration, or the evils induced by ladies’ thin shoes.

Chamomile and gentian teas are excellent tonics taken either cold or hot.

The tea made from blackberry-root is said to be good for summer disorders. That from green strawberry leaves is an admirable and soothing wash for a cankered mouth.

Tea of parsley-root scraped and steeped in boiling water, taken warm, will often cure strangury and kindred affections, as will that made from dried pumpkin-seed.

Tansy and rue teas are useful in cases of colic, as are fennel seeds steeped in brandy.

A tea of damask-rose leaves, dry or fresh, will usually subdue any simple case of summer complaint in infants.

Mint tea, made from the green leaves, crushed in cold or hot water and sweetened, is palatable and healing to the stomach and bowels.

Source: Common Sense in the Household, Marion Harland