For the Sting of a Bee

Rub the place with hartshorn or salaeratus water, immediately after it is stung, to prevent it from swelling; bruised peach leaves bound on, are also good, and laudanum, where it is very painful. If it swells very much, apply a poultice of onions and cream, or ley and bitter herbs.

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

To Remove Stains of Wine or Fruit From Table Linen

Stains of claret wine can be removed by rubbing them while wet with common salt. Turn the contents of the salt cellar directly over the stain, and rub in the salt with the finger, until the redness disappears entirely.

A sure way of extracting fruit stains from table linen, is to tie up some cream of tartar in the stained part, so as to form a little bag, then put the linen into cold soap-suds, and let it boil awhile. Then wash and rinse well, dry and iron, and no stains will appear.

Another method is to mix in equal quantities, soft soap, slacked lime, and saleratus, and rub the stain with the preparation, and lay the linen in the sun, with the mixture plastered on. When it has lain two or three hours, rub it off ; if the stain still appears, apply some more of the mixture. When it cannot be seen, wash out the linen at once, as it will decay the fabric.

Source: Household Hints and Recipes, Henry T. Williams

Bleeding, Unusual Way to Stop

“If fresh, sprinkle full of black pepper. It will not smart, and is soon healed. If not fresh, clean with a weak solution saleratus and cover while wet with pepper. This has been tried many times in our home and has never failed.”

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

Imperial Drop – For Gravel And Kidney Complaints

Take saltpetre 1 oz.; putting it into an iron mortar, dropping in a live coal with it, which sets it on fire; stir it around until it all melts down into the solid form, blow out the coals and pulverize it; then taka an equal amount of bi-carbonate of potassia, or saleratus, and dissolve both in soft water 2 oz.

Dose: from 20 to 30 drops, morning and evening, in a swallow of tea made from flax seed, or a solution of gum arabic.

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

Sore Breasts, a Hot Poultice for

“Apply hot pancakes made of sour milk, saleratus and wheat flour, large enough to cover affected parts. Keep them changed often enough, so they will not be cold. This is an excellent remedy to steam out the inflammation.” This is an old tried remedy and one to be relied upon. The steaming relieves the swelling and inflammation and gives relief quickly.

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

Gangrene, Remedy from New York that cured a Gangrenous Case

“A man aged 74 years had a sore below the knee for fifteen years; at last gangrene appeared in his foot and three physicians pronounced his case hopeless on account of his age. I was called as a neighbor and found the foot swollen to twice its natural size, and the man in pain from head to foot. I ordered cabbage leaves steamed until wilted, then put them over the limb from knee to foot and covered with a cloth. In about fifteen minutes they were black, so we removed them and put on fresh ones, repeating the change until the leaves did not turn black. Then the sore was thoroughly cleansed with a weak solution of saleratus and while wet was thickly covered with common black pepper and wrapped up. The saleratus water and pepper was changed night and morning until the sore was entirely healed. After the third day this man had no pain, and in four weeks was entirely healed. A year later he said he had never had any trouble with it or with rheumatism which he had had for years before.”

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