Baldness

Rub the head night and morning with a decoction of boxwood. One ounce to a pint of water, boil for a quarter of an hour in a covered vessel, cool and strain, add an ounce and a half of Eau de Cologne or lavender water to make it keep.

Or: A valuable stimulant to promote the growth of the hair is made as follows:- Eau de Cologne 2 ounces, tincture of cantharides 2 drachms, oil of rosemary 10 drops. To be rubbed on the bald part every night.

Source: Fray’s Golden Recipes for the use of all ages, E. Fray

Hair Tonic

Tincture of cantharides one-half ounce, glycerine one-half ounce, lime water three ounces, distilled water one ounce, eau de cologne one-half ounce. Mix and bottle. This is from a famous English chemist.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison

Hair Invigorator

Bay rum, two pints; alcohol, one pint; castor oil, one ounce ; carb. ammonia, half an ounce ; tincture of cantharides, one ounce. Mix well. This compound will promote the growth of the hair and prevent it from falling out.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison

Remedy for Dandruff

Take glycerine four ounces, tincture of cantharides five ounces, bay rum four ounces, water two ounces. Mix, and apply once a day, and rub well down the scalp.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison

Hair Tonic for Weak and Falling Hair

Hydrochlorate of ammonia, 2 drams; spirit of juniper, 20 drops; tincture of cantharides, 1 oz.; rectified spirits of wine, 2 oz.; camphor water, 3/4 pint. To be applied once a day.

Source: Still Room Cookery, C.S. Peel

A Hair Tonic

Scald two ounces of black tea in one gallon of boiling water; add three ounces of glycerine, one quart of bay rum and half an ounce of the tincture of cantharides; scald for five minutes longer; strain and bottle. This will prevent the hair from falling out, and at the same time will stimulate a new and healthy growth.

Source: The Kentucky Housewife, Mrs Peter A. White

Macassar Oil for the Hair

Renowned for the past fifty years, is as follows: Take a quarter of an ounce of the chippings of alkanet root, tie this in a bit of coarse muslin and put it in a bottle containing eight ounces of sweet oil; cover it to keep out the dust; let it stand several days; add to this sixty drops of tincture of cantharides, ten drops of oil of rose, neroli and lemon each sixty drops; let it stand one week and you will have one of the most powerful stimulants for the growth of the hair ever known.

Another:–To a pint of strong sage tea, a pint of bay rum and a quarter of an ounce of the tincture of cantharides, add an ounce of castor oil and a teaspoonful of rose, or other perfume. Shake well before applying to the hair, as the oil will not mix.

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

For Dandruff

Take glycerine four ounces, tincture of cantharides five ounces, bay rum four ounces, water two ounces. Mix, and apply once a day and rub well down the scalp.

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

Hair Invigorator

Bay rum two pints, alcohol one pint, castor oil one ounce, carb. ammonia half an ounce, tincture of cantharides one ounce. Mix them well. This compound will promote the growth of the hair and prevent it from falling out.

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

Inflamed Sore Throat

Gargle with borax and alum, dissolved in water. Take equal parts of saltpetre and loaf sugar pulverized together; place upon the tongue, and let it trickle down slowly to the inflamed part. Use this two or three times a day. Rub the glands with a mixture of camphor, cantharides, myrrh, and turpentine. If this fails to reduce the inflammation, put a small blister within an inch of the ears. A gargle with red pepper tea is good. Give cooling medicines. Bathe the feet at night. Avoid taking cold.

Source: Mrs Hill’s New Cook-Book