Bran Tea

Put a handful of bran in a pint and a half of cold water, boil it for an hour and three-quarters, then strain, and flavour with sugar and lemon juice. This is a very cheap and useful drink in colds, fevers, and restlessness from pain.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Arrowroot Custard for Invalids

One tablespoonful of arrowroot.

One pint of milk. One egg.

One tablespoonful of sugar.

Mix the arrowroot with a little of the cold milk, put the milk into a sauce-pan over the fire, and when it boils, stir in the arrowroot and the egg and sugar, well beaten together. Let it scald, and pour into cups to cool. A little cinnamon boiled in the milk flavors it pleasantly.

Source: Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, Catherine Beecher

Simple Barley Water

Take two ounces and a half of pearl barley, cleanse it, and boil it ten minutes in half a pint of water. Strain out this water and add two quarts of boiling water, and boil it down to one quart. Then strain it, and flavor it with slices of lemon and sugar, or sugar and nutmeg.

This is very acceptable to the sick in fevers.

Source: Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, Catherine Beecher

Lip Salve

Dissolve a small lump of white sugar, in a table spoonful of rose water, clear water will do but is not as good. Mix it with a table spoonful of sweet oil, a piece of spermaceti of the size of half a butternut. Simmer the whole together about eight or ten minutes.

Source: The New England Cook Book

Almond Emulsion for a Cough

Beat well in a marble mortar, 6 drachms of sweet almonds blanched, and 2 drachms of white sugar, add 1 pint cold water, by degrees; strain, then add 2 table-spoonsful of sweet spirits of nitre. Cork, and keep it in a cool place, or in cold water. A tea-spoonful three times a day.

Source: The English Housekeeper, Anne Cobbett

For Indigestion

1 handful senna leaves
2 teaspoonsful sugar
1 teaspoonful ground ginger
1 pint boiling water
2 teaspoonsful carbonate soda
1 teaspoonful essence of peppermint

Boil slowly, for 1/2 an hour, the senna, sugar, ginger, and soda, then strain and cool. When quite cold, put into a bottle with the essence of peppermint.

Take a wine-glass fasting, or before meals.

Source: The Northampton Cookery Book, M.A. Jeffery

Menses, For Obstruction Of The

Steel filings, two ounces; powdered sugar, two ounces; ginger, two drams. Pound together. One teaspoonful to be taken twice a day in orange wine.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Heartburn, Remedies For

Add two drams of carbonate of magnesia to a cupful of milk, and drink it whenever the rising is experienced.

Eating a raw turnip will also take away the smarting sensation.

The following effervescing drink is also good:— The juice of an orange, with loaf sugar to flavour, and, in proportion to the acidity of the orange, a little bicarbonate of soda. Mix the orange juice, sugar, and water together in a tumbler, then add the soda; stir, and drink while effervescing.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Blackberry Syrup, for Cholera and Summer Complaint

Two quarts of blackberry juice.

One pound of loaf sugar.

Half an ounce of nutmegs.

A quarter of an ounce of cloves.

Half an ounce of cinnamon.

Half an ounce of allspice.

Pulverize the spice, and boil all for fifteen or twenty minutes. When cold, add a pint of brandy.

Source: Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt Book, Catherine Beecher

Remedy for Cough

One ounce of Balm of Gilead buds; put in a quart of water and boil down to a pint; add one pint of Bourbon whisky and one pound of loaf sugar.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison