Panacea for Hoarseness

January 10th, 2026

If little ones are hoarse or seem croupy at bedtime, use this mixture: Heat together lard and small portions of camphor, kerosene and turpentine. If cold is tight, saturate a light woolen cloth wath this and apply to throat and chest, bringing down close under arms. Over this put a thin cotton cloth to protect the clothing. It is also well to rub the back with the application. This loosens the croup membrane and in a few minutes the breathing grows easier and the child will sleep.

Source: 1001 Household Hints, Ottilie V. Ames

Relieve Pain

January 6th, 2026

Take five cents’ worth of beeswax and equal parts of mutton tallow, melted together in a pie pan; then take a coarse piece of new domestic cotton, lay cloth in pan of melted wax and tallow until the cloth is thoroughly saturated; apply as hot as possible to the afflicted part. Same cloth can be used a number of times by reheating the cloth in oven or on top of radiator.

Source: 1001 Household Hints, Ottilie V. Ames

Burns

October 16th, 2021

Anything which excludes air without tainting the wound or irritating it further helps a bad burn. Carron oil — a creamy mixture of lime water and sweet oil — applied with a feather, then covered with cotton, either batting or absorbent, gives a measure of relief and is also healing. Soft old linen coated with fresh egg-white laid on and allowed to dry soothes pain. Even a covering with dry flour, if nothing else is handy, is better than leaving the burn bare. But if at all serious, or even is shallow and wide spread, call a doctor instantly, meantime keeping up heart action with stimulants in small doses often repeated.

Source: Harper’s Household Handbook: A guide to easy ways of doing woman’s work, Martha McCulloch-Williams

Wheat Gruel for Young Children with weak stomachs, or for Invalids

January 30th, 2021

Tie half a pint of wheat flour in thick cotton, and boil it three or four hours; then dry the lump and grate it when you use it. Prepare a gruel of it by making a thin paste, and pouring it into boiling milk and water, and flavor with salt. This is good for teething children.

Source: Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, Catherine Beecher

For Burns

January 20th, 2021

Wet cotton batting with coal oil and put on the burn, keeping there until it is well.

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

An Excellent Deodorizer

September 18th, 2020

To purify sick rooms of any foul smells, put one tablespoonful of bromo chloralum to eight of soft water; dip cloths in and hang up to evaporate.

The surface of anything may be purified by washing well and then rubbing with a weakened solution of bromo chloralum.

This will also purify the breath which is offensive from teeth, by inserting a solution of bromo chloralum upon cotton in the tooth, and rinsing the mouth with a weaker solution three or four times a day.

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

Toothache

May 16th, 2020

Touch a piece of cotton which you are to apply to the nerve of your tooth, to a cork on which is poured a drop of carbolic acid; insert in the cavity of the tooth. A sure and immediate cure of toothache. If the first application is not effective apply again. Be careful not to let the carbolic acid touch the lips or tongue, as it will burn them.

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

Earache

March 15th, 2020

A little black pepper in some cotton dropped in sweet oil is said to be the quickest remedy known for the earache.

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

To Remove Sunburn

February 16th, 2020

Squeeze the juice of a lemon into a small teacupful of new milk. Allow it to curdle. Apply it to the face and throat with a piece of cotton wool, after having been out in the sun, or the last thing at night. Allow it to remain on the skin for a short time then wash it off with tepid soft water. This will remove all heat and tan from the skin.

Source: The Dudley Book of Cookery and Household Recipes, Georgiana Dudley

For Burns

April 14th, 2019

When the skin is not off, apply scraped raw potatoes. When the skin is off, apply sweet oil and cotton, or linseed oil and lime water made into a paste. Elder ointment is very good: make the ointment of the green bark of the elder; stew in lard.

Source: The Philadelphia Housewife, Mary Hodgson

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    NOTE: these remedies are listed only for information and/or amusement. They are not to be construed as medical advice of any type, nor are they recommended for use. Consult your doctor or other medical professional for any medical advice you require.