Pneumonia

Wring flannel out of hot strong salt water to which a little vinegar has been added, and lay on the lungs or affected part. Be very careful not to chill while using this, and have the flannel wrung so dry as not to wet the clothes badly. Cover with a dry cloth. This is good in lung fever, or rheumatism.

Source: The Inglenook Cook Book

For a Sprain

Salt and vinegar, bound on a sprain, will relieve the pain in a very little while.

Source: Fowler’s Household Helps, A.L. Fowler

Burns

In slight cases, the juice of onions, a little ink or brandy rubbed immediately on the part affected, will prevent blisters. The juice of burdock, mixed with an equal quantity of olive oil, will make a good ointment for the purpose, and the fresh leaves of that plant may also be applied as a kind of plaster. Houseleek used by itself, or mixed with cream, will afford quick relief in external inflammations. A little spirit of turpentine, or linseed oil, mixed with lime water, if kept constantly to the part will remove the pain. But warm vinegar and water, frequently applied with a woollen cloth, is most to be depended on in these cases.

Source: The Cook And Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary, Mary Eaton

Sprains

These generally proceed from some external injury, attended with pain, swelling, and inflammation. A fomentation of vinegar, or camphorated spirits of wine, if applied immediately, will generally be sufficient: if not, a few drops of laudanum should be added. The fomentation should be frequently renewed, and the sprained part kept in a state of rest and relaxation.

Source: The Cook And Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary, Mary Eaton

Asthma

As this complaint generally attacks aged people, the best mode of relief will be to attend carefully to diet and exercise, which should be light and easy, and to avoid as much as possible an exposure to cold and frosty air. The temperature of the apartment should be equalised to moderate summer’s heat by flues and stoves, and frequently ventilated. A dish of the best coffee, newly ground and made very strong, and taken frequently without milk or sugar, has been found highly beneficial. An excellent diet drink may be made of toast and water, with the addition of a little vinegar, or a few grains of nitre. Tar water is strongly recommended, and also the smoking of the dried leaves of stramonium, commonly called the thorn-apple.

Source: The Cook And Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary, Mary Eaton

Cure for Chilblains

Beat up 1 egg and put it into a bottle with equal parts of white vinegar and turpentine. Shake up. It should be of the consistency of cream.

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

Cure For A Relaxed Throat

Pour 1 pint boiling water upon 30 sage leaves, let it stand for 1/2 an hour, strain it, add sufficient vinegar to make it acid, and honey according to taste. Use this gargle several times a day.

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

Elliman’s Embrocation

One new-laid egg well beaten, add to it by degrees one gill turpentine, one gill vinegar, put in alternately one-half ounce spirits of camphor.

Directions for use. — For rheumatism, lumbago, for sore throat, cold in chest, etc., rub in well with hand, night and morning. A flannel may also be soaked in embrocation and put on, covered with a cloth or flannel. Can be used also as a substitute for mustard plaster, as above.

Source: The Canadian Family Cookbook, Grace E. Denison

Preventive Against Chilblains

Rub the toes, or other parts of the feet likely to become affected, every morning and night with a mixture of one part camphorated spirit and three parts vinegar.

Source: Recipes for the Million

Syrup for a Cough

Boil 1 oz. balsam of tolu, very gently, two hours, in a quart of water; add 1 lb. white sugar candy, finely beaten, and boil it half an hour longer. Strain through a flannel bag twice; when cold, bottle it. You may add 2 oz. syrup of red poppies, and the same of raspberry vinegar. A spoonful when the cough is troublesome.

Or: 2 oz. honey, 4 table-spoonsful vinegar, 2 oz. syrup white poppies, and 2 oz. gum arabic: boil gently to the consistency of treacle; a tea-spoonful when the cough is troublesome.

Or: 1 table-spoonful treacle, 1 of honey, 1 of vinegar, 15 drops laudanum, and 15 drops peppermint. Simmer together a quarter of an hour. A dessert-spoonful to be taken at going to bed.

Or: mix together in a phial, 2 drachms of compound tincture of benjamin, 6 drachms ethereal spirits of nitre, 3 drachms of compound tincture of camphor, and 5 drachms of oxymel; a tea-spoonful in a wine-glass of warm water, when the cough is troublesome.

Or: mix 1 oz. gum arabic, 1 oz. sugar candy, and the juice of a lemon; pour on it a pint of boiling water; a little when the cough is troublesome.

Source: The English Housekeeper, Anne Cobbett