The Lemon. — Few people know the value of lemon-juice. A
piece of lemon bound upon a corn will cure it in a few days ; it
should be renewed night and morning. A free use of lemon-
juice and sugar will always relieve a cough. Most people feel
poorly in the spring, but if they would eat a lemon before breakfast
every day for a week — with or without sugar, as they like — they
would find it better than any medicine. Lemon-juice used according
to this recipe will sometimes cure consumption : Put a dozen lemons
into cold water and slowly bring to a Hoil ; boil slowly until the
lemons are soft, then squeeze until all the juice is extracted; add
sugar to your taste, and dri-nk. In this way use one dozen lemons a
day. If they cause pain, or loosen the bowels too much, lessen the
quanrtty, and use only five or six a day until you are better, and
then begin again with a dozen a day. After using five or six dozen,
the patient will begin to gain flesh and enjoy food. Hold on to the
lemons, and still use them very freely for several weeks more.
Another use for lemons is for a refreshing drink in summer, or in
sickness at any time. Prepare as directed above, and add water and
sugar. But in order to have this kept well, after boiling the lemons,
squeeze and strain carefully; then to every half-pint of juice add one
pound of loaf or crushed sugar, boil and stir a few minutes more
until the sugar is dissolved, skim carefully, and bottle. You will get
more juice from the lemons by boiling them, and the preparation
keeps better.
Fasting is recommended as a cure for rheumatism. In cases
of acute articular rheumatism the fasting must be continued from
four to eight days. In no case is it necessary to fast more than ten
days. Patients may drink freely of cold water or lemonade in
moderate quantities. No medicines are to be taken. Less positive
results are obtained in cases of chronic rheumatism than in acute
cases. The latter form of rheumatism is, after all, only a phase of
indigestion, and is cured by giving complete rest to all the viscera.
THE PHYSICIAN IN THE HOME. 21 3
Cure for Neuralgia. — Mix an egg with corn-meal, or any coarse
flour, and apply the poultice to the face or parts affected. This is a
good remedy for toothache.
In these days of neuralgia and sudden colds it is sensible to have
some means of relief close at hand. Make two or three little bags
of cotton cloth and fill them with hops. Then when you need them
heat just as hot as possible even to the extent of browning the cloth,
and apply to*the aching member. People who cannot endure the
odor of the old-time remedy of hops and vinegar do not object to
the hops alone. The dry hop-bag is a great improvement upon wet
cloths of any kind.
To Relieve Sciatica and Severe Neuralgic Pains. — Heat a
flat-iron sufficiently hot to vaporize vinegar, wrap it in woollen cloth
moistened with vinegar, and apply as warm as can be borne to the
painful spot two or three times a day. As a rule, the pain disap-
pears within twenty-four hours, and recovery is rapid.
Page 136
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
The Lemon. — Few people know the value of lemon-juice. A piece of lemon bound upon a corn will cure it in a few days ; it should be renewed night and morning. A free use of lemonjuice and sugar will always relieve a cough. Most people feel poorly in the spring, but if they would eat a lemon before breakfast every day for a week — with or without sugar, as they like — they would find it better than any medicine. Lemon-juice used according to this recipe will sometimes cure consumption : Put a dozen lemons into cold water and slowly bring to a boil ; boil slowly until the lemons are soft, then squeeze until all the juice is extracted; add sugar to your taste, and drink. In this way use one dozen lemons a day. If they cause pain, or loosen the bowels too much, lessen the quantity, and use only five or six a day until you are better, and then begin again with a dozen a day. After using five or six dozen, the patient will begin to gain flesh and enjoy food. Hold on to the lemons, and still use them very freely for several weeks more. Another use for lemons is for a refreshing drink in summer, or in sickness at any time. Prepare as directed above, and add water and sugar. But in order to have this kept well, after boiling the lemons, squeeze and strain carefully; then to every half-pint of juice add one pound of loaf or crushed sugar, boil and stir a few minutes more until the sugar is dissolved, skim carefully, and bottle. You will get more juice from the lemons by boiling them, and the preparation keeps better.
Fasting is recommended as a cure for rheumatism. In cases of acute articular rheumatism the fasting must be continued from four to eight days. In no case is it necessary to fast more than ten days. Patients may drink freely of cold water or lemonade in moderate quantities. No medicines are to be taken. Less positive results are obtained in cases of chronic rheumatism than in acute cases. The latter form of rheumatism is, after all, only a phase of indigestion, and is cured by giving complete rest to all the viscera.
Cure for Neuralgia. — Mix an egg with corn-meal, or any coarse flour, and apply the poultice to the face or parts affected. This is a good remedy for toothache.
In these days of neuralgia and sudden colds it is sensible to have some means of relief close at hand. Make two or three little bags of cotton cloth and fill them with hops. Then when you need them heat just as hot as possible even to the extent of browning the cloth, and apply to*the aching member. People who cannot endure the odor of the old-time remedy of hops and vinegar do not object to the hops alone. The dry hop-bag is a great improvement upon wet cloths of any kind.
To Relieve Sciatica and Severe Neuralgic Pains. — Heat a flat-iron sufficiently hot to vaporize vinegar, wrap it in woollen cloth moistened with vinegar, and apply as warm as can be borne to the painful spot two or three times a day. As a rule, the pain disappears within twenty-four hours, and recovery is rapid.