For the Bloody Flux

This powder will be found exceedingly useful in abating the irritation and giving retentive power to the intestines, when the evacuations from the bowels are frequent, have a frothy appearance, and are tinged with blood. The best mode of taking this medicine is the following:—

Take of the Astringent Powder, one scruple;
Aromatic Confection, one scruple;
Powdered Rhubarb, five grains;
Cinnamon Water, one ounce and a half.

Mix, and make a draught, which may be taken every four hours, if required. Four or five drops of laudanum may be added to each draught, if the evacuations are attended with pain.

Source: A Companion To The Medicine Chest, John Savory.

Ingredient: Angustura Bark

Angustura bark (Cusparia) is a valuable tonic, especially in cases of dyspepsia, with diarrhoea and loss of appetite. It may be given in powder in doses of ten grains, twice or thrice a-day; or in infusion, or decoction. In cases of flatulency of the stomach, attended by nausea, five grains, with the same weight of rhubarb, taken an hour before dinner, will often effectually restore the appetite and digestion.

Source: A Companion To The Medicine Chest, John Savory.

Epileptic Pills

Take sulphate of zinc, sixty grains; rhubarb and ipecac, each thirty grains; cayenne, sixty grains. Make into sixty pills with extract of hyoscyamus. Dose: One pill night and morning for one week, then leave off for a week, and then resume again, and so on every other week. An important remedy, and has cured many cases of epileptic fits when taken in the early stages.

Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information

Pills for Dysentery

Take rhubarb, ipecac, and castile soap, each thirty grains; pulverized opium, fifteen grains. Make into thirty pills with mucilage, gum arabic, or any other suitable substance. Dose: One pill every three to six hours for diarrhoea and dysentery. After three or four are taken they should not be taken oftener than once in six hours.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Useful Information.

Anti-Dyspeptic Pills

Take Socotrine aloes, two drams; colocynth, gamboge, rhubarb, and castile soap, each one dram; cayenne, thirty grains; oil cloves, thirty drops. Make into one hundred and twenty pills with extract of gentian or dandelion. Dose: For dyspepsia, inactive liver or costiveness, one or two pills once a day; as a cathartic, three to five pills at a dose. This is a splendid pill. It cleanses the stomach, gives tone and energy to the digestive organs, restores the appetite, excites the liver and other secretory organs, without causing any debility.

Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information

Cordial for Diarrhoea

The best rhubarb root, pulverized, 1 oz; peppermint leaf 1 oz; capsicum 1/8 oz; cover with boiling water and steep thoroughly, strain, and add bi-carbonate of potash and essence of cinnamon, of each 1/2 oz; with brandy (or good whisky) equal in amount to the whole, and loaf sugar 4 oz.

Dose: For an adult, 1 to 2 tablespoons; for a child 1 to 2 teaspoons, from 3 to 6 times per day, until relief is obtained.

Source: Dr Chase’s Recipes, or Information for Everybody, A.W. Chase

Diarrhoea Drops

Tincture of rhubarb, and compound spirits of lavender, of each 4 ozs; laudanum 2 oz; cinnamon oil 2 drops. Mix.

Dose: One teaspoon every 3 or 4 hours, according to the severity of the case.

Source: Dr Chase’s Recipes, or Information for Everybody, A.W. Chase

Indigestion or Dyspepsia, Chicken Gizzard Skin for

“Four ounces good brandy, one-fourth pound of loaf sugar, one tablespoonful pulverized chicken gizzard skin, one teaspoonful Turkish rhubarb dried on paper stirring constantly; this prevents griping; the chicken gizzard skin is the lining of the gizzard which should be thoroughly cleaned and dried then pulverized. To prepare put brandy and sugar together (crush the sugar), light a paper and set fire to the brandy; let burn until sugar is dissolved, then add the gizzard skin and rhubarb, stir together and if too thick add a little water and boil up. Dose:– Infant, one-half teaspoonful every four hours; child, one teaspoonful every four hours; adult, one tablespoonful every four hours. Have used this remedy for a great many years and given it to a great many people who have worn out all other remedies.”

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

Hives or Nettle Rash, External and Internal Home Medicine for

“Bathe with weak solution of vinegar. Internal remedy; sweet syrup of rhubarb with small lump of saleratus (size of a pea) dissolved in it. This dose was given to a two-year-old child.” The rhubarb helps to rid the stomach and bowels of its impurities, relieving the disease, as hives are usually due to some disorder of the kidneys and bowels.

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

Pneumonia, Herb Tea and Poultice for

“Congestion of the lungs. One ounce of each of the following, slippery elm bark, crushed thyme, coltsfoot flowers, hyssop or marshmallow. Simmer in two quarts of water down to three pints; strain and add one teaspoonful of cayenne. Dose:– Wineglassful every half hour. Apply hot bran poultices or chamomile scalded in vinegar, changing often until the violence of the symptoms abate. If the bowels are confined, give an injection of half pint of hot water in which one-half teaspoonful each of gum myrrh, turkey rhubarb and ginger powder have been well mixed. If possible give vapor bath. Apply hot stones or bottles to the feet.”

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