FoodNetArchive

Original White House Cookbook

1887

Page 371 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1887. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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. To remove stains, rub a slice of raw potato upon the stains ; or wash the hands in lemon juice or steeped laurel-leaves. To give a fine color to the nails, the hands and fingers must be well lathered and washed with fine soap ; then the nails must be rubbed with equal parts of cinnebar and emery, followed by oil of bitter almonds. To take white spots from the nails, melt equal parts of pitch and turpentine in a small cup ; add to it vinegar and powdered sulphur. Rub this on the nails and the spots will soon disappear. TOILET SOAP. One pound of washing soda, one pound of lard or clear tallow, half a pound of unslacked lime, one tablespoonful of salt, three quarts of waterToilet Soap. Put the soda and lime in a large dish, and pour over the water, boiling hot; stir until dissolved ; let it stand until clear, then pour off the clear liquid, add the grease and salt ; boil four hours, then pour into pans to cool. If it should be inclined to curdle or separate, indicating the lime to be too strong, pour in a little more water, and boil again. Perfume as you please. TOILET EECIPES, ITEMS 557 and pour into molds or a shallow dish, and, when cold, cut into bars to dry. ANTIDOTES EOR POISONS. The following list gives some of the more common poisons and the remedies most likely to be on hand in case of need: — Acids: — These cause great heat and sensation of burning pain from the mouth down to the stomach. The remedies are : Magnesia, soda, pearl ash, or soap dissolved in water, every two minutes ; then use the stomach pump, or an emetic. Alkali: — Drink freely of water with vinegar or lemon juice in it, made very strong of the sour. Ammonia: — Remedy is lemon juice or vinegar. Arsenic Remedies : — Give prompt emetic of mustard and salt, a table- spoonful of each, in a coffeecup of warm water ; then follow with sweet oil, butter made warm, or milk. Also may use the white of an egg in half a cupful of milk or lime water. Chalk and water is good, and the prepara- tion of iron, ten drops in water every half hour; hydrated magnesia. Alcohol: — First cleanse out the stomach by an emetic, then dash cold water on the head, and give ammonia (spirits of hartshorn). Laudanum, Morphine, Opium: — First give a strong emetic of mustard and water, then very strong coffee and acid drinks ; dash cold water on the head, then keep in motion. Belladonna : — Give an emetic of mustard, salt and water; then drink plenty of vinegar and water or lemonade. Charcoal : — In poisons, by carbonic gas, remove the patient to the open air, dash cold water on the head and body, and stimulate the nostrils and lungs with hartshorn, at the same time rubbing the chest briskly. Corrosive Sublimate, Saltpetre, Blue Vitriol, Bed-bug Poison: — Give white of egg, freshly mixed with water, in large quantities ; or give wheat flour and water, or soap and water freely, or salt and water, or large draughts of milk.