A GOOD idea, and a congenial one to lovers of the aesthetic, is to
plant sunflowers in the garden when obliged to reside in a malarial
neighborhood. Cranberries for malaria, and popcorn for nausea, are
also recommended.
An important item in housekeeping, and one oftentimes sadly
neglected by over-zealous housekeepers, is the proper airing of the
beds. Three to four hours is the shortest time which the clothing
should be aired. It should be taken from the beds, well shaken, and
each piece placed on a separate chair. To hurry the making of the
beds early in the morning is a false idea of neatness.
A TEASPOONFUL of ammonia in the water in which you wash removes
all the unpleasant effects of perspiration.
Advice with Reasons. — Beware of salves, beware of plasters, be-
ware of eye-waters, beware of washes refining the skin, beware of
toilet powders, and be careful in the use of scented soaps. Why?
Salves make and keep the skin sore, plasters prevent wounds from
healing, eye-waters do often more injury than good, most hair-dyes
produce sore eyes, beautifying washes are often poisonous, ditto
toilet powders, while scented soaps are usually too sharp with free
alkali.
The best remedy in ordinary hiccoughs is about twenty-five grains
of common table salt placed in the mouth and swallowed with a sip
of water.
When the finger or hand is badly cut, and when plaster is out of
reach, a good substitute is brown paper, or black cobweb. W^hen
plaster has been obtained, press the cut together firmly with the
fingers, and sponge with a soft rag and tepid water ; then apply the
plaster, which should be cut in narrow pieces about the sixth of an
inch wide, and place in diagonal lines over the wound.
Sulphur used as a gargle is said to be a sure cure for diphtheria.
This disease is only an accumulation of fungus in the throat, and sul-
phur is a specific for every species of fungus. If the patient can-
202 THE hearthstone; OR, LIFE AT HOME.
not gargle, put the sulphur on a live coal and let it burn under his
nose.
Sleep. — Sleep will do much to cure irritability of temper, peevish-
ness and uneasiness. It will build up and make strong a weary body.
It will do much to cure dyspepsia, particularly that variety known as
nervous dyspepsia. It will relieve the languor and prostration felt
by consumptives. It will cure hypochondria. It will cure the head-
ache. It will cure neuralgia. It will cure a broken spirit. It will
cure sorrow. Indeed, we might make a long list of nervous maladies
that sleep will cure.
To persons afflicted with cold feet this remedy is offered. Before
retiring, dip the feet in cold water for a brief period, often just to im-
merse them, and then rub them thoroughly with a coarse Russian
towel or a pair of hair flesh-gloves. Disagreeable as this plan is, it is
often very effective and conducive to both health and comfort.
Page 128
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A GOOD idea, and a congenial one to lovers of the aesthetic, is to plant sunflowers in the garden when obliged to reside in a malarial neighborhood. Cranberries for malaria, and popcorn for nausea, are also recommended.
An important item in housekeeping, and one oftentimes sadly neglected by over-zealous housekeepers, is the proper airing of the beds. Three to four hours is the shortest time which the clothing should be aired. It should be taken from the beds, well shaken, and each piece placed on a separate chair. To hurry the making of the beds early in the morning is a false idea of neatness.
A TEASPOONFUL of ammonia in the water in which you wash removes all the unpleasant effects of perspiration.
Advice with Reasons. — Beware of salves, beware of plasters, beware of eye-waters, beware of washes refining the skin, beware of toilet powders, and be careful in the use of scented soaps. Why? Salves make and keep the skin sore, plasters prevent wounds from healing, eye-waters do often more injury than good, most hair-dyes produce sore eyes, beautifying washes are often poisonous, ditto toilet powders, while scented soaps are usually too sharp with free alkali.
The best remedy in ordinary hiccoughs is about twenty-five grains of common table salt placed in the mouth and swallowed with a sip of water.
When the finger or hand is badly cut, and when plaster is out of reach, a good substitute is brown paper, or black cobweb. When plaster has been obtained, press the cut together firmly with the fingers, and sponge with a soft rag and tepid water ; then apply the plaster, which should be cut in narrow pieces about the sixth of an inch wide, and place in diagonal lines over the wound.
Sulphur used as a gargle is said to be a sure cure for diphtheria. This disease is only an accumulation of fungus in the throat, and sulphur is a specific for every species of fungus. If the patient can-
202 THE hearthstone; OR, LIFE AT HOME.
not gargle, put the sulphur on a live coal and let it burn under his nose.
Sleep. — Sleep will do much to cure irritability of temper, peevishness and uneasiness. It will build up and make strong a weary body. It will do much to cure dyspepsia, particularly that variety known as nervous dyspepsia. It will relieve the languor and prostration felt by consumptives. It will cure hypochondria. It will cure the headache. It will cure neuralgia. It will cure a broken spirit. It will cure sorrow. Indeed, we might make a long list of nervous maladies that sleep will cure.
To persons afflicted with cold feet this remedy is offered. Before retiring, dip the feet in cold water for a brief period, often just to immerse them, and then rub them thoroughly with a coarse Russian towel or a pair of hair flesh-gloves. Disagreeable as this plan is, it is often very effective and conducive to both health and comfort.