How to Prevent Cold Feet

Draw off your stockings, when retiring at night, and rub your ankles and feet with a flesh brush or with your hand, as hard as you can bear the pressure, for ten minutes, and you will never complain of cold feet in bed.

It is hardly conceivable what a pleasurable glow such a rubbing will produce.

Frequent bathing of the feet in the morning, and rubbing them thoroughly dry with a coarse linen or flannel cloth, is also very useful for this trouble.

An extra sole in the boot or shoe is also desirable. If one is troubled with cold feet during the day, it is an excellent plan to scatter red pepper, (Cayenne,) into the stockings, not letting it blister the feet, but only warm the skin.

Cold feet, habitually, is one of the sure avenues to death, and care should be taken to keep up a good circulation of the blood, both by rubbing and tonics.

Source: Household Hints and Recipes, Henry T. Williams

Corns

For a troublesome corn, rub it now and again with spirits of turpentine and it will soon depart company; or, corns are speedily cured by first paring, then bind a slice of lemon over them. Tried with good effects.

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

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

A Certain Cure For Soft Corns

Dip a piece of soft linen rag in turpentine, and wrap it round the toe on which the soft corn is, night and morning; in a few days the corn will disappear; but the relief is instantaneous.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley

Mustard Bath for the Feet

It gives relief to a bad cold in the early stages, to soak the feet in warm water, in which you have put half a tea cup of salt and two tablespoonsful of pulverized mustard, and to drink ginger tea. You may keep your feet in the bath for half an hour, and then retire with a warm soap stone wrapped in a cloth and placed near them. A soap stone, the size of a brick will, when thoroughly heated, keep warm till morning, and is invaluable for an elderly person or one that suffers with cold feet.

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

Cure for Corns

Place the feet for half an hour, two or three nights successively, in a pretty strong solution of common soda. The alkali dissolves the indurated cuticle, and the corn falls out spontaneously, leaving a small excavation, which soon fills up.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley

Perspiring Feet

If the feet perspire, add a few drops of ammonia to the water when bathing them, and bathe them often. The unpleasant odour from perspiring feet may be prevented by sprinkling oatmeal in the socks, as used in the army; or, sprinkle bran in the socks frequently. Try either with good effect.

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

Sinapisms

The sinapism is a poultice made of vinegar instead of milk, and rendered warm and stimulating by the addition of mustard, horseradish, or garlic. The common sinapism is made of equal quantities of bread crumbs and mustard, a sufficient quantity of strong vinegar, and mixing all together into a poultice. When a sinapism is required to be more stimulating, a little bruised garlic may be added. Sinapisms are employed to recal the blood and spirits to a weak part, as in the case of palsy; they are also of service in deep-seated pains, as in the case of sciatica. When the gout seizes the head or stomach, they are applied to the feet to bring the disorder down, and are likewise applied to the soles of the feet in a low state of fever. They should not be suffered to lie on till they have raised blisters, but till the parts become red, and will continue so when pressed with the finger.

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

Bunions, Ointment For

To half an ounce of spermaceti ointment or lard add twelve grains of iodine. Rub the mixture on two or three times a day.

Source: Recipes for the Million

To Prevent A Blister On The Heel

If shoes slip and cause blisters on the heels, rub paraffin on the stocking. In a short time the slipping will stop.

Source: Fowler’s Household Helps, A.L. Fowler