Bruises

To allay the pain of bruises do not use tincture of arnica; but apply the following lotion on a piece of uncovered lint: one part of spirit and one part of solution of acetate of ammonia (B.P.) to eight parts of water. When the pain of a bruise has been allayed, the absorption of the residual swelling and discoloration may be hastened by gentle massage. So much for the surgical requisites.

Source: The Girl’s Own Paper

Cologne Water (Superior)

Oil of lavender two drachms, oil of rosemary one drachm and a half, orange, lemon and bergamot, one drachm each of the oil; also two drachms of the essence of musk, attar of rose ten drops, and a pint of proof spirit. Shake all together thoroughly three times a day for a week.

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

Swaim’s Vermifuge

Worm seed, two ounces; valerian, rhubarb, pink root, white agaric, senna, of each one ounce and a half. Boil in sufficient water to yield three quarts of decoction. Now add to it ten drops of the oil of tansy and forty-five drops of the oil of cloves, dissolved in a quart of rectified spirit. Dose: one tablespoonful at night.

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

Rose-Water

Preferable to the distilled for a perfume, or for culinary purposes. Attar of rose, twelve drops; rub it up with half an ounce of white sugar and two drachms carbonate magnesia; then add gradually one quart of water and two ounces of proof spirit, and filter through paper.

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

Balsam for Coughs and Colds

Tincture of tolu and compound tincture of benzoin, of each one ounce, rectified spirit, two ounces; mix. The dose is a teaspoonful.

Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts

Stomachic Tincture

Bruise a couple of ounces of Peruvian bark, one of bitter dried orange peel. Steep them in a pint of proof spirit a fortnight, shaking up the bottle that contains it once or twice every day. Let it remain untouched for a couple of days, then decant the bitter into another bottle. A tea-spoonful of this, in a wine glass of water, is a fine tonic.

Source: The American Housewife

To destroy Cockroaches, Ants, and other household Vermin

Hellebore, rubbed over with molasses, and put round the places that cockroaches frequent, is a very effectual poison for them. Arsenic, spread on bread and butter, and placed round rat or mouse holes, will soon put a stop to their ravages. Quicksilver and the white of an egg, beat together, and laid with a feather round the crevices of the bedsteads and the sacking, is very effectual in destroying bugs in them. To kill flies, when so numerous as to be troublesome, keep cobalt, wet with spirit, in a large shallow plate. The spirit will attract the flies, and the cobalt will kill them very soon. Black pepper is said to be good to destroy them — it should be mixed, so as to be very strong, with a little cream and sugar. Great care is necessary in using the above poisons, where there are any children, as they are so apt to eat any thing that comes in their way, and these poisons will prove as fatal to them as to vermin, (excepting the pepper.) The flour of sulphur is said to be good to drive ants away, if sprinkled round the places that they frequent. Sage is also good. Weak brine will kill worms in gravel walks, if kept moist with it a week in the spring, and three or four days in the fall.

Source: The American Housewife

To Make Spirit of Mints

Take three Pints of the best white Wine, three handfuls of right Spear mint picked clean from the stalks, let it steep in the wine one night covered, in the morning, put it into a Copper Alembeck, and draw it with a pretty quick fire; and when you have drawn it all, take all your Water and add as much Wine as before, and put to the Water, and the same quantity of Mint as before; let it steep two or three hours, then put all into your Still, and draw it with a soft fire, put into your Receiver a quantity of Loaf Sugar, and you will find it very excellent; you may distil it in an ordinary Still if you please; but then it will not be so strong nor effectual.

Thus you may do with any other Herbs whatsoever.

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

Freckles

Freckles, or the round or oval-shaped yellowish or brownish-yellow spots, resembling stains, common on the face and the backs of the hands of persons with a fair and delicate skin who are much exposed to the direct rays of the sun in hot weather, are of little importance in themselves, and have nothing to do with the general health. Ladies who desire to remove them may have recourse to the frequent application of dilute spirit, or lemon juice, or a lotion formed by adding acetic, hydrochloric, nitric, or sulphuric acid, or liquor of potassa, to water, until it is just strong enough to slightly prick the tongue. One part of good Jamaica rum to two parts of lemon juice or weak vinegar is a good form of lotion for the purpose. The effect of all these lotions is increased by the addition of a little glycerine.

The preceding are also occasionally called “common freckles,” “summer freckles,” and “sun freckles.” In some cases they are very persistent, and resist all attempts to remove them while the exposure that produces them is continued. Their appearance may be prevented by the greater use of the veil, parasol or sunshade, or avoidance of exposure to the sun during the heat of the day.

Another variety, popularly known as cold freckles, occur at all seasons of the year, and usually depend on disordered health or some disturbance of the natural functions of the skin. Here the only external application that proves useful is the solution of bichloride of mercury and glycerine, or Gowland’s lotion.

Source: The Ladies’ Book Of Useful Information

Receding Gums

In order to try and check the gums from receding, they should be rubbed three or four times a day with a lotion of one drachm of tannic acid in an ounce of rectified spirit. They should also be rubbed vigorously with the fingers so as to stimulate the circulation of the blood, but not hard enough to make them bleed.

Source: Home Notes, 1895