For Cold
There is no remedy so good as to go to bed and stay there, drinking nothing, not even water, for twenty-four hours, and eating as little as possible. Or, go to bed; put your feet in hot mustard and water; put a bran or oatmeal poultice on the chest ; take ten grains of Dover’s powder, and an hour afterwards a pint of hot gruel ; in the morning rub the body all over with a coarse towel, and take a dose of aperient medicine.
Violet, pennyroyal, or boneset tea are excellent to promote perspiration in case of sudden chill.
Or, take white wine whey. One pint of milk ; two wineglassfuls of white wine ; one teaspoonful of vinegar. Simmer gently; then strain, sweeten, and spice; give hot.
Source: The Unrivalled Cook-Book and Housekeeper’s Guide, Mrs Washington
Filed under Remedy | Tags: aperient, boneset, bran, chill, cold, dover's powder, gruel, mustard, oatmeal, pennyroyal, perspiration, poultice, spice, vinegar, violet, washington, whey, white wine, wine | Comment (0)Molasses Posset
This old-fashioned remedy for a cold is as effectual now as it was in old times. Put into a saucepan a pint of the best West India molasses, a teaspoonful of powdered white ginger and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Set it over the fire and simmer it slowly for half an hour, stirring it frequently. Do not let it come to a boil. Then stir in the juice of two lemons, or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; cover the pan and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. This is good for a cold. Some of it may be taken warm at once, and the remainder kept at hand for occasional use.
It is the preparation absurdly called by the common people stewed quaker.
Half a pint of strained honey mixed cold with the juice of a lemon and a tablespoonful of sweet oil, is another remedy for a cold; a teaspoonful or two to be taken whenever the cough is troublesome.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
Filed under Remedy | Tags: butter, cold, cough, ginger, honey, lemon, molasses, posset, quaker, stewed, sweet oil, throat, treacle, vinegar, whitehouse | Comment (0)Chilblains
We give a few household remedies for the cure of these disagreeable companions. 1. Take half an ounce of white wax, one ounce of ox-marrow, two ounces of lard; melt slowly over a fire in a pipkin, and mix them well together; then strain through a linen cloth. 2. Before going to bed spread the ointment on the parts affected, feet or hands, taking care to wrap them up well. 3. Lemon juice rubbed on the inflamed parts is said to stop the itching. 4. A sliced onion dipped in salt has the same effect, but is apt to make the feet tender. 5. When the chilblains are broken, a little warm vinegar, or tincture of myrrh, is an excellent thing to bathe the wound and keep it clean. 6. Another useful remedy is a bread poultice, at bedtime, and in the morning apply a little resin ointment spread on a piece of lint or old linen.
Source: Audel’s Household Helps, Hints and Receipts
Gargles for Sore Throat
No. 1. — One wineglassful of barm ; one wineglassful of vinegar ; remainder sage tea, to make a half-pint bottle of gargle.
No. 2. — A pinch of chlorate of potash in a glass of water. Gargle the throat with it twice a day, or oftener, if necessary.
No. 3. — Tar water is a very good gargle for sore throat ; it is to be used twice a day.
Source: The Unrivalled Cook-Book and Housekeeper’s Guide, Mrs Washington
Filed under Remedy | Tags: barm, chlorate of potash, gargle, potash, sage, sage tea, sore throat, tar water, throat, vinegar, washington | Comment (0)Diphtheria
A gargle of sulphur and water has been used with much success in cases of diphtheria. Let the patient swallow a little of the mixture. Or, when you discover that your throat is a little sore, bind a strip of flannel around the throat, wet in camphor, and gargle salt and vinegar occasionally.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette
Cough Syrup
One pint best vinegar. Break into it an egg and leave in, shell and all, over night. In the morning it will all be eaten except the white skin which must be taken out. Then add 1 pound loaf sugar, and for an adult, take a tablespoon three times a day. This is a most excellent remedy for a cough in any stage.
Source: Mrs Owens’ Cook Book and Useful Household Hints, Frances Owens
Aromatic Vinegar
Mix with a table-spoonful of vinegar enough powdered chalk to destroy the acidity. Let it settle–then turn off the vinegar from the chalk carefully, and dry it perfectly. Whenever you wish to purify an infected room, put in a few drops of sulphuric acid–the fumes arising from it will purify a room where there has been any infectious disorder. Care is necessary in using it, not to inhale the fumes, or to get any of the acid on your garments, as it will corrode whatever it touches.
Source: The American Housewife
Expectorant Tincture
Take pulverized lobelia (seed or herb), powdered bloodroot, and powdered rattleroot (black cohosh), of each three ounces; alcohol and good vinegar, of each one pint. Digest for ten days or two weeks, then strain or filter and add four ounces each of wine of ipecac and tincture balsam of tolu and one ounce strong essence of anise. A portion of honey may be added if preferred. Dose: One to two teaspoonfuls repeated as often as circumstances require. Highly useful as an expectorant in coughs, colds, and all affections of the lungs.
Source: The Ladies’ Book of Useful Information
To Soften The Hands
To soften the hands: One can have the hands in soap-suds with soft soap without injury to the skin if the hands are dipped in vinegar or lemon juice immediately after. The acids destroy the corrosive effects of the alkali, and make the hands soft and white. Indian meal and vinegar or lemon juice used on hands where roughened by cold or labor will heal and soften them. Rub the hands in this, then wash off thoroughly and rub in glycerine. Those who suffer from chapped hands will find this comforting.
Source: The White House Cookbook, F.L. Gillette