Remedy for Corns
When corns are troublesome make a shield of buckskin leather an inch or two across, with a hole cut in the center the size of the corn; touch the exposed spot with pyroligneous acid which will eat it away in a few applications. Besides this a strong mixture of carbolic acid, and glycerine is good, say one-half as much acid as glycerine. Turpentine may also be used for corns and bunions. A weaker solution of carbolic acid will heal soft corns between the toes. A French medical journal reports the cure of the most refactory corns by the morning and evening application with a brush of a drop of a solution of the perchloride of iron. It states, that after a fortnight’s continued application, without pain, a patient who had suffered martyrdom for nearly forty years was entirely relieved.”
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook
To Remove Freckles
Take finely powdered nitre (saltpetre), and apply it to the freckles by the finger moistened with water and dipped in the powder. When perfectly done, and judiciously repeated, it will remove them effectually without trouble. Rough skins from exposure to the wind in riding, rowing or yachting trouble many ladies who will be glad to know that an application of cold cream or glycerine at night, washed off with fine carbolic soap in the morning, will render them presentable at the breakfast-table. Another method is to rub the face, throat and arms well with cold cream or pure almond oil before going out. With this precaution one may come home from a berry party, or a sail without a trace of that ginger-bread effect too apt to follow these pleasures.
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook
Preparation for Rough Skin
A delicate and effective preparation for rough skins, eruptive diseases, cuts or ulcers, is found in a mixture of one ounce of glycerine, half an ounce of rosemary-water, and twenty drops of carbolic acid. In those dreaded irritations of the skin, occurring in summer, such as hives or prickly heat, this wash gives soothing relief. A solution of this acid, say fifty drops to an ounce of the glycerine, applied at night, forms a protection from mosquitoes. Use the pure crystallized form: it is far less overpowering in its fragrance than the common sort, Those who dislike it too much to use at night, will find the sting of the bites almost miraculously cured, and the blotches removed by touching them with the mixture in the morning. Babies and children should be touched with it in a reduced form. Two or three drops of otter of roses in the preparation will improve the smell so as to render it tolerable to human beings though not so to mosquitoes.
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook
To Keep The Hair In Crimp
Ladies are annoyed by the tendency of their hair to come out of crimp or curl while boating, or horse-back riding. Apply the following bandoline before putting the hair in papers or irons : A quarter of an ounce of gum-tragacanth, one pint of rose-water, five drops of glycerine ; mix and let stand over night. If the tragacanth is not dissolved, let it be for a half a day longer ; if too thick add more rose-water, and let it be for some hours. When it is a smooth solution, nearly as thin as glycerine, it is fit to use. This is excellent for making the hair curl. Moisten a lock of hair with it, not too wet, and brush round a warm curling-iron, or put up in papillotes. If the curl comes out harsh and stifle, brush it round a cold iron or curling-stick.”
Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook
A Bread and Milk Poultice
-Put a tablespoonful of the crumbs of stale bread into a gill of milk, and give the whole one boil up. Or, take stale bread crumbs, pour over them boiling water and boil till soft, stirring well; take from the fire and gradually stir in a little glycerine or sweet oil, so as to render the poultice pliable when applied.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
Ointment to Soften the Hands
One and a half pound of mutton tallow, one ounce of camphor gum, one ounce of glycerine, melted; when thoroughly mixed put away to cool. Rub on at night.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
For Chapped Skin
Keep a muslin bag filled with bran constantly soaking in the water which you use for your ablutions; the bran should be changed twice a week; immediately after bathing rub the chapped skin with deer suet, or with glycerine and rose-water, in the proportion of three parts of glycerine to one of rose-water ; do this while the skin is still wet.
Source: The Unrivalled Cook-Book and Housekeeper’s Guide, Mrs Washington
To Soften The Hands
To soften the hands: One can have the hands in soap-suds with soft soap without injury to the skin if the hands are dipped in vinegar or lemon juice immediately after. The acids destroy the corrosive effects of the alkali, and make the hands soft and white. Indian meal and vinegar or lemon juice used on hands where roughened by cold or labor will heal and soften them. Rub the hands in this, then wash off thoroughly and rub in glycerine. Those who suffer from chapped hands will find this comforting.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
To Alleviate A Cough
Coughs may be much alleviated, and dry throats cured, by glycerine and lime-juice taken at night. The glycerine should be diluted.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Hair Tonic III
Digest half an ounce of pine tar in a pint of water for forty-eight hours, stirring occasionally; filter, and put with the other fluid, then add one pint of bay rum, one ounce each of cologne and tincture of cantharides, two ounces of glycerin and ten ounces of distilled water. Apply daily, using a tonic brush.
Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter