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

Preventive Against Chilblains

Rub the toes, or other parts of the feet likely to become affected, every morning and night with a mixture of one part camphorated spirit and three parts vinegar.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Salve for Chilblains

Try out nicely a little mutton tallow; into this while melted, (after it is nicely strained) put an equal quantity of coal oil. Stir well together until it cools.

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

Frostbitten Feet

One of the best cures ever invented for Frostbitten Feet.

Take about six quarts chicken dung and stir it with about two gallons boiling water in a bucket, then place a small board across the bucket, on which you can put your feet and cover your feet up till the mixture is sufficiently cool to put them in, then keep them in till it gets cold.

Source: Recipes: Information for Everybody, J.F. Landis

Cure for Chilblains

Bathe the feet in hot water, dry thoroughly before the fire, then rub with the following as long as possible. Take a piece of butter the size of a walnut with as much salt as can be worked into it. One or two applications will generally cure the worst cases.

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