The best established usefulness of blue
mass is in the relief of what is called " bil-
iousness," when there is a bitter taste in the
mouth, especially on awaking in the morn-
ing ; with some degree of nausea (sick feel-
ing at the stomach), and more or less yel-
CANTHAIUS VESICATORIA.
lowness of the tongue and of the whites of
the eyes ; perhaps of the face or the skin
generally ; the bowels also being consti-
pated, or the stools slate- colored instead of
brown or yellowish-brown, as is natural.
One or two grains of blue pill at bedtime,
and the same again in the morning or the
next evening, taking in all from two to four
grains, will do well, without any risk of
salivation, at least in all but one case or so
in a thousand.
Calojnel is better for a similar purpose as
a baby's medicine. Indigestion and com-
mencing diarrhoea in infants are often much
helped by small doses of calomel ; powders,
each of which contains one-twelfth of a
grain of the medicine, with a grain or two
of soda (sodium bicarbonate) or magnesia,
or only sugar ; the last for taste, and to give
substance to the small dose of the drug.
Borax. — A ver}^ familiar article this is,
in the nursery, for sore mouth. It is a min-
eral astringent, milder than alum, and may
be used more freely ; either dissolved in
water as a wash, or in powder with sugar,
put with the finger right on the sore spot in
the mouth.
Bromides: Potassium, Sodium and
Lithium. These " bromides " are nervous
sedatives; tranquillizing an excited brain in a
different way from opium ; having less sleep-
compelling power than it. Bromide of potass-
ium is largely prescribed by physicians for
epilepsy and some less serious but obstinate
troubles of the nervous system. Bromide
of sodium has the same sort of effect, but
perhaps is more agreeable to the stomach ;
and the same is true of bromide of lithium.
Bromide of ammonium is less often used for
similar effects. J3ro??io-caJfci?ie often helps
nervous headaches.
Dose, of either, five to fifteen or twenty
grains, in water. The largest doses are
best borne when taken at bedtime. Long
use of large doses of either of the bromides
sometimes causes an eruption on the skin,
and some other unpleasant symptoms,
called bromism, by physicians. For any
one who suffers greatly from the sting of a
bee, or other insect, twenty-grain doses of
bromide of potassium may be advised.
Cajuput Oil. — An aromatic greenish (or,
when old, reddish) oil, from the leaves of
503
40
THE FAMIL Y DOCTOR
an East Indian tree ; one of the best reme-
dies for flatulent colic, especiall}^ when
' ' gouty ; ' ' and also for flying gout and
chronic 7%eumatisvi.
Dose, from four to ten drops, on a lump
of sugar, followed by a drink of water.
Calomel. — Chloride of mercury. See
above, under blue pill. Calomel is a white
powder. Dose, from one-twelfth of a grain,
for an infant, to one-half grain, one grain,
or sometimes possibly more, for an adult.
Not to be used as a domestic medicijie ; un-
less, after experience, the very small calo-
mel powders, for indigestion of infants.
Page 169
Presented as published in 1901. 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 best established usefulness of blue mass is in the relief of what is called " biliousness," when there is a bitter taste in the mouth, especially on awaking in the morning ; with some degree of nausea (sick feeling at the stomach), and more or less yellowness of the tongue and of the whites of the eyes ; perhaps of the face or the skin generally ; the bowels also being constipated, or the stools slate- colored instead of brown or yellowish-brown, as is natural. One or two grains of blue pill at bedtime, and the same again in the morning or the next evening, taking in all from two to four grains, will do well, without any risk of salivation, at least in all but one case or so in a thousand.
Calojnel is better for a similar purpose as a baby's medicine. Indigestion and commencing diarrhoea in infants are often much helped by small doses of calomel ; powders, each of which contains one-twelfth of a grain of the medicine, with a grain or two of soda (sodium bicarbonate) or magnesia, or only sugar ; the last for taste, and to give substance to the small dose of the drug.
Borax. — A ver}^ familiar article this is, in the nursery, for sore mouth. It is a mineral astringent, milder than alum, and may be used more freely ; either dissolved in water as a wash, or in powder with sugar, put with the finger right on the sore spot in the mouth.
Bromides: Potassium, Sodium and Lithium. These " bromides " are nervous sedatives; tranquillizing an excited brain in a different way from opium ; having less sleepcompelling power than it. Bromide of potassium is largely prescribed by physicians for epilepsy and some less serious but obstinate troubles of the nervous system. Bromide of sodium has the same sort of effect, but perhaps is more agreeable to the stomach ; and the same is true of bromide of lithium. Bromide of ammonium is less often used for similar effects. Bromo-caffeine often helps nervous headaches.
Dose, of either, five to fifteen or twenty grains, in water. The largest doses are best borne when taken at bedtime. Long use of large doses of either of the bromides sometimes causes an eruption on the skin, and some other unpleasant symptoms, called bromism, by physicians. For any one who suffers greatly from the sting of a bee, or other insect, twenty-grain doses of bromide of potassium may be advised.
Cajuput Oil. — An aromatic greenish (or, when old, reddish) oil, from the leaves of
an East Indian tree ; one of the best remedies for flatulent colic, especiall}^ when ' ' gouty ; ' ' and also for flying gout and chronic rheumatism.
Dose, from four to ten drops, on a lump of sugar, followed by a drink of water.
Calomel. — Chloride of mercury. See above, under blue pill. Calomel is a white powder. Dose, from one-twelfth of a grain, for an infant, to one-half grain, one grain, or sometimes possibly more, for an adult. Not to be used as a domestic medicine ; unless, after experience, the very small calomel powders, for indigestion of infants.