A Sovereign Remedy for Earache

As soon as a child complains of earache, give it sufficient syrup of ipecac to vomit it freely. It will act like a charm, and the child will be asleep and free from the pain fifteen minutes afterwards. If a mother will only use this remedy she will save her child from a great deal of suffering, and herself from many sleepless nights. My plan is to give a teaspoonful of ipecac, after waiting ten or fifteen minutes (giving the child in the mean time plenty of water to drink,) if it then does not produce the desired effect, give another spoonful, this last will usually be sufficient.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

The Best Way To Wash Hair

Rub the white of an egg into the roots, making partings for the purpose. Some use yolks and white beaten together. Rub the head all over whilst the egg is about it. Wash well with soap and tepid water. When clean pour some water as warm as can be borne over the head, and immediately afterwards some water quite cold. A pint basin is a good medium for applying this douche. Fill it and empty on the back of the head, holding the face over a large basin. Wring the water out of the hair. Rub the scalp, till it glows, round and round with a rough towel. Roll up the hair next, and tie a towel round the wet head; after awhile take it off. The hair then is nearly dry, and the head warm. Brush the hair with a clean brush, and spread it out. Do not dress it till quite dry.

Source: Cassell’s Household Guide

Sunstroke

Wrap a wet cloth bandage over the head; wet another cloth, folded small, square, cover it thickly with salt, and bind it on the back of the neck; apply dry salt behind the ears. Put mustard plasters to the calves of the legs and soles of the feet. This is an effectual remedy.

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

For Headache

For headache, drink a cup of strong black tea, in which has been squeezed the juice of a lemon. Half a teaspoon of common baking soda dissolved in hot water is also good.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Sunstroke

Bind the head with wet cloths; wet another cloth, fold into a small square, cover thickly with salt, and apply to the back of the neck; apply dry salt behind the ears, and mustard plasters to the calves of the legs and soles of the feet. The salt is an Arabian remedy, and is very effective.

Source: The Unrivalled Cook-Book and Housekeeper’s Guide, Mrs Washington

To make the true Palsie-water, as it was given by that once very famous Physician Doctor Matthias

Take Lavender Flowers stripped from the stalks, and fill a Gallon-Glass with them, and pour on them good Spirit of Sack, or perfect Aqua vitæ distilled from all Flegm, let the quantity be five quarts, then circulate them for six weeks, very close with a Bladder, that nothing may breath out; let them stand in a warm place, then distil them in an Alembeck with his Cooler, then put into the said water, of Sage, Rosemary, and Wood-Betony Flowers; of each half a handful, of Lilly of the Valley, and Burrage, Bugloss, and Cowslip Flowers, one handful of each; steep these in Spirit of Wine, Malmsie, or Aqua vitæ, every one in their Season, till all may be had; then put also to them of Balm, Motherwort, Spike-flowers, Bay leaves, the leaves of Orange trees, with the Flowers, if they may be had, of each one ounce, put them into the aforesaid distilled Wine all together, and distil it as before, having first been steeped six weeks; when you have distilled it, put into it Citron Pill, dried Piony seeds hull’d, of each five Drams, of Cinamon half an Ounce, of Nutmegs, Cardamum seeds, Cubebs[1], and yellow Saunders[2], of each half an ounce, of lignum Aloes one dram; make all these into Powder, and put them into the distilled Wine abovesaid, and put to them of Cubebs anew, a good half pound of Dates, the stones taken out, and cut them in small pieces, put all these in, and close your Vessel well with a double Bladder; let them digest six weeks, then strain it hard with a Press, and filtrate the Liquor, then put into it of prepared Pearl, Smaragdus[3], Musk and Saffron, of each half a Scruple; and of Ambergreece one Scruple, red Roses dried well, Red and Yellow Saunders, of each one ounce, hang these in a Sarsenet[4] Bag in the water, being well sewed that nothing go out.

The virtues of this Water

This Water is of exceeding virtue in all Swoundings and Weaknesses of the heart, and decaying of Spirits in all Apoplexies and Palsies, also in all pains of the Joints coming of Cold, for all Bruises outwardly bathed and dipped Clothes laid to; it strengtheneth and comforteth all animal, natural and viral Spirits, and cheareth the external Senses, strengtheneth the Memory, restoreth lost Speech, and lost Appetite, all weakness of the Stomach, being both taken inwardly, and bathed outwardly; it taketh away the Giddiness of the Head, helpeth lost Hearing, it maketh a pleasant Breath, helpeth all cold disposition of the Liver, and a beginning Dropsie; it helpeth all cold Diseases of the Mother; indeed none can express sufficiently; it is to be taken morning and evening, about half a Spoonful with Crums of Bread and Sugar.

Source: The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet, Hannah Wolley

1. A type of pepper.

2. Sandalwood.

3. Emerald.

4. A type of fine silk.

To make the Hair Grow

Wash it every night with a strong decoction of Rosemary. Dry it with flannel. Tried.

Source: Primitive Physic: or an easy and natural method of curing most diseases, John Wesley.

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

Hair Tonic II

A preparation which is tonic in its properties and is also said to darken gray hair, and which certainly contains nothing injurious, calls for one ounce of sage and a pint of boiling water, allowed to stand twenty-four hours in an iron pot, and then filtered through filtering papers.

Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

Chronical Headache

Keep your feet in warm water a quarter of an hour before you go to bed, for two or three weeks. Tried.

Or wear tender Hemlock-Leaves under the feet, changing them daily.

Or order a tea-kettle of cold water to be poured on your head, every morning in a slender stream.

Or take a large tea-cupful of Carduus Tea, without sugar, fasting for six or seven mornings. Tried.

Source: Primitive Physic: or an easy and natural method of curing most diseases, John Wesley.