Cough Mixture

Two quarts of rain water, one pound of raisins, five cents worth of licorice, a fourth of a pound of rock candy. Boil this to one quart and strain it. Take two tablespoons three times daily; adding
a little vinegar.

Source: 76: A Cook Book

Cough Mixture

Take buttonwood root and make a strong tea of it; to a pint of the tea and a pint of honey, a piece of saltpetre about the size of your thumb; mix all together and boil down to one pint; also add one tablespoon of paregoric.

Source: Tested Recipe Cook Book, Mrs H.L. Wilson

Cure for a Cough

A patient, who, for nearly two months, could not pass a night in quiet without large doses of laudanum, has been cured of a most harassing cough by suet boiled in milk.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

A Syrup for Colds and Coughs

Take 18 ounces of perfectly sound onions, and after removing rind make several incisions, but not too deep. Boil together with 13 1/2 ounces of moist sugar and 2 3/4 ounces of honey in 35 ounces of water, for three-quarters of an hour; strain, and fill into bottles for use. Give one tablespoonful of this mixture (slightly warmed) immediately on attack, and then, according to requirement, five to eight half tablespoonfuls daily.

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

Flax-Seed Lemonade

To a large tablespoonful of flax-seed, allow a tumbler and a half of cold water. Boil them together till the liquid becomes very sticky. Then strain it hot over a quarter of a pound of pulverized sugar, and an ounce of pulverized gum arabic. Stir it till quite dissolved, and squeeze into it the juice of a lemon.

This mixture has frequently been found an efficacious remedy for a cold, taking a wine-glass of it as often as the cough is troublesome.

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

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

Cough Syrup

One pint best vinegar. Break into it an egg and leave in, shell and all, over night. In the morning it will all be eaten except the white skin which must be taken out. Then add 1 pound loaf sugar, and for an adult, take a tablespoon three times a day. This is a most excellent remedy for a cough in any stage.

Source: Mrs Owens’ Cook Book and Useful Household Hints, Frances Owens

Cough Syrup

Take horehound herb, elecampane root, spikenard root, ginseng root, black cohosh, and skunk cabbage root, of each a good-sized handful. Bruise and cover with spirits or whisky, and let stand ten days; then put all in a suitable vessel, add about four quarts of water and simmer slowly over a fire (but don’t boil) for twelve hours, or till reduced to about three pints, then strain and add one pint of strained honey, half a pint each of number six, tincture lobelia, and tincture bloodroot (the vinegar or acetic tincture of bloodroot is the best) and four ounces of strong essence of anise, and you will have one of the best cough syrups known. Dose: A tablespoonful three to six times a day, according to circumstances. Good in all kinds of coughs and incipient consumption.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Useful Information

For a Dry, Irritating Cough

Smoke in a common clean pipe equal quantities of ground coffee and rich pine saw-dust. My husband finds almost instant relief when his throat and lungs are sore. Swallow all the smoke you can.

Source: Mrs Owens’ Cook Book and Useful Household Hints, Frances Owens