The Mouth. — The mouth requires to be rinsed and the
throat well gargled with tepid water, to which a few drops of
Eau-de-Cologne may be added with advantage, every morning,
for a kind of mucus gathers upon the surface of the mouth,
and particularly on the tongue, during the hours of sleep,
which, if not removed, obscures the nice perception of the
palate and impairs the appetite. Sometimes this unpleasant
matter is more thickly deposited than at others, owing, per-
haps, to changes of food, of temperature, or any other cause
upon the stomach. When it requires the aid of a scraper to
lemove it, one made of thin cane, or nicely-prepared whale-
bone, is infinitely preferable to those ivory or even silver arti-
cles with which dressing boxes are usually supplied. If the
mouth feels clammy during the day, after walking or other ex-
ercise, one part of port wine mingled with three parts of water
forms a refreshing lotion to rinse it with. A comfortable sen-
sation is produced by drinking a wineglassful of spring water
after the usual routine of the toilette is completed, and to take
a seidlitz powder occasionally is an excellent preventive if sub-
ject to headache.
The Breath. — Purity of breath is an unspeakable perso-
nal comfort, and its value in social intercourse is literally be-
yond that of rubies. Yet, although it may be said to be
peculiar to almost every healthy person, it is a precarious pos-
session, easily forfeited at any time, and many causes more
particulary tend to affect it as years advance. The natives of
eastern countries seem to be particularly sensible to this; and,
considering the sweetness of the breath to depend chiefly upon
ETIQUETTE. n
the condition of the mouth, are in the habit of chewing mastic
and other odoriferous substances with a view to its preserva-
tion. This is at best a troublesome practice, and, while sub-
ject to immediate detection, has not always the effect hoped
for. The breath is, however, dependent upon other organs
and causes, as well as the mouth and teeth, for its odor; and
almost every incident which can affect the general health ex-
tends its influence to the breath. Thus fatigue, induced either
by immoderate exercise or repeated and protracted vigils, will
render it impure. Deep study, combined with anxiety and
restless nights, will have an equal effect. Sometimes disease
of the lungs affects the breath; the impurity of the latter is then
only a symptom and will meet due attention in the medical
treatment of the disease. Habitual sacrifices to the "jolly god"
may almost invariably be detected by the fetid odor of the
breath; the derangement of the digestive organs being the in-
evitable result of the abuse of fermented liquors, the cause
must be removed ere the effect can cease. When the breath
is affected by the teeth an opiate has been recommended, which
may be prepared by immersing eight ounces of the best honey
with two ounces of rose water over a gentle fire for a few min-
utes, and then adding as much powdered myrrh and Armenian
bole as will form a soft paste; it is applied to the teeth on a
brush, and is generally successful in removing any unpleasant
odor from them at the time. Tincture of myrrh, combined
with tepid water, forms an effectual gargle when the affection
does not proceed from the stomach.
Page 48
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 Mouth. — The mouth requires to be rinsed and the throat well gargled with tepid water, to which a few drops of Eau-de-Cologne may be added with advantage, every morning, for a kind of mucus gathers upon the surface of the mouth, and particularly on the tongue, during the hours of sleep, which, if not removed, obscures the nice perception of the palate and impairs the appetite. Sometimes this unpleasant matter is more thickly deposited than at others, owing, perhaps, to changes of food, of temperature, or any other cause upon the stomach. When it requires the aid of a scraper to remove it, one made of thin cane, or nicely-prepared whalebone, is infinitely preferable to those ivory or even silver articles with which dressing boxes are usually supplied. If the mouth feels clammy during the day, after walking or other exercise, one part of port wine mingled with three parts of water forms a refreshing lotion to rinse it with. A comfortable sensation is produced by drinking a wineglassful of spring water after the usual routine of the toilette is completed, and to take a seidlitz powder occasionally is an excellent preventive if subject to headache.
The Breath. — Purity of breath is an unspeakable personal comfort, and its value in social intercourse is literally beyond that of rubies. Yet, although it may be said to be peculiar to almost every healthy person, it is a precarious possession, easily forfeited at any time, and many causes more particulary tend to affect it as years advance. The natives of eastern countries seem to be particularly sensible to this; and, considering the sweetness of the breath to depend chiefly upon
the condition of the mouth, are in the habit of chewing mastic and other odoriferous substances with a view to its preservation. This is at best a troublesome practice, and, while subject to immediate detection, has not always the effect hoped for. The breath is, however, dependent upon other organs and causes, as well as the mouth and teeth, for its odor; and almost every incident which can affect the general health extends its influence to the breath. Thus fatigue, induced either by immoderate exercise or repeated and protracted vigils, will render it impure. Deep study, combined with anxiety and restless nights, will have an equal effect. Sometimes disease of the lungs affects the breath; the impurity of the latter is then only a symptom and will meet due attention in the medical treatment of the disease. Habitual sacrifices to the "jolly god" may almost invariably be detected by the fetid odor of the breath; the derangement of the digestive organs being the inevitable result of the abuse of fermented liquors, the cause must be removed ere the effect can cease. When the breath is affected by the teeth an opiate has been recommended, which may be prepared by immersing eight ounces of the best honey with two ounces of rose water over a gentle fire for a few minutes, and then adding as much powdered myrrh and Armenian bole as will form a soft paste; it is applied to the teeth on a brush, and is generally successful in removing any unpleasant odor from them at the time. Tincture of myrrh, combined with tepid water, forms an effectual gargle when the affection does not proceed from the stomach.