Important: Safety Warning
This page recommends preparations containing opium, laudanum, morphine, or similar narcotics — in some cases for children. These substances are dangerously addictive, easily fatal in overdose, and strictly controlled by law today.
In addition, this page directs the use of hazardous substances — such as benzine, gasoline, lye, or strong acids — for household tasks. These materials are highly flammable, corrosive, or poisonous, and the practices described have caused fires, burns, and poisonings.
In addition, this page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Medical
LINIMENT
Three ounces each of tincture of opium, camphorated oil, and soap liniment.
FOR JAUNDICE
The yolk of an egg, raw or slightly cooked, is excellent food in jaundice. FOR QUINSY, gargle with water as hot as can be borne. This gives…
FOR SICK HEADACHE
Whenever the symptoms are felt coming on, drink a cupful of thoroughwort or boneset-tea.
FOR STIFF JOINTS
Oil made by trying up common angle worms, is excellent to apply to sinews drawn up by sprains or disease.
PLEURISY
Oiled silk placed over the chest of those suffering from pneumonia or pleurisy, will give great relief and hasten recovery. FOR…
TO STOP BLEEDING
Apply wet tea-leaves, or scrapings of sole-leather to a fresh cut and it will stop the bleeding, or apply a paste of flour and vinegar.
TO STOP BLEEDING AT THE NOSE
Bathe the feet in very hot water, drinking at the same time a pint of cayenne pepper tea, or hold both arms above the head.
FOR DRESSING CUTS, WOUNDS OR SORES
Surgeon's solution of carbolic acid and pure glycerine mixed in equal parts, and applied on soft lint or linen cloth. DIRT IN THE EYE. To…
REMEDY FOR PILES
Mix a tea-spoon of sulphur with a tea-cup of milk, and take twice a day, morning and night, until improvement takes place; then take…
WOUND FROM RUSTY NAIL
Smoke this or any inflamed wound over the fume of burning woolen cloth, wool or sugar, for fifteen minutes, and the pain will be taken out.
FOR SPRAINS
The white of an egg, and salt mixed to a thick paste is one of the best remedies for sprains, or bruises, or lameness, for man or beast…
A VALUABLE LINIMENT
One ounce wormwood to one pint alcohol. Or, bruise the green stalks of wormwood, moisten with vinegar, and apply to the sprain. Good for…
TO RELIEVE ASTHMA
Wet blotting-paper in strong solution of saltpetre, dry it, and burn a piece three inches square on a plate in sleepingroom, and it will…
MANNA AND MILK
Take a quart of fresh skim milk, and boil in it one ounce of manna; drinking this quantity cool, in small draughts, at intervals during the…
SICK HEADACHE
Elixir of guarana, prepared by Brewer & Co., Springfield, Mass. Take one tea-spoon every half hour until four have been taken, on the first…
HOT WATER FOR A COUGH
For a tight, hoarse cough, where phlegm is not raised, or with difficulty, take hot water often, as hot as can be sipped. This will be…
SPRAINS OR LAMENESS
Two ounces camphorated spirits, two ounces sweet oil, two ounces ammonia, two ounces chloroform; shake well before using, and rub it in by…
CHEROKEE LINIMENT
One ounce gum-camphor, dissolved in alcohol, one ounce each of spirits turpentine, sweet oil, hemlock oil, origanum oil, and cedar oil, two…
FOR BURNS OR BRUISES
Apply peach-tree leaves, the smooth side next the skin, and bind them on. For burns, when there is danger of mortification, or even if it…
SALVE FOR CUTS AND BURNS
To one-half pound of sweet lard add onefourth pound of beeswax and the same of resin; beat all together till wel. mixed; pour in a little…
FOR IVY POISONING
A simple and effectual remedy for ivy poisoning, is said to be sweet spirits of nitre. Bathe the affected parts two or three times during…
FOR THE LUNGS
A quart (or less if too strong) of tar, stirred six minutes in a gallon of water, and one-fourth, or a tumbler, taken four times a day, an…
SLEEPLESSNESS
Wet a cloth in cold water, and lay it on the back of the neck. Fold a towel smoothly over it, and very often it will soothe the weary…
FOR A COLD
Cayenne pepper-tea for a cold. Put a quarter of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a tea-cup; pour over hot water and sweeten: with sugar. Or…
TO CURE A COUGH
Roast a lemon very carefully without burning it; when it is thoroughly hot, cut and squeeze into a cup upon three ounces of sugar, finely…
BLACKENED EYE
Should the eye or any other part be blackened by a fall or blow, apply a cloth wrung out of very warm water, and renew it until the pain…
FOR ERYSIPELAS
A simple poultice made from cranberries pounded! fine, and applied in a raw state, is said to be a certain cure; or slip off the outer bark…
FOR SORE THROAT
Take five cents worth of chlorate of potash, dissolve, and take a tea-spoon every hour, and also gargle with it. Or, to a tea-cup vinegar…
BURNS
Common baking soda-the bicarbonate-has been found to cure burns or scalds, affording immediate relief when it is promptly applied. For a…
TO RELIEVE TOOTHACHE
Apply powdered alum, or fill mouth with warm water, and immediately after with cold; or saturate a piece of cotton with a strong solution…
FOR COLD IN THE HEAD
As soon as you feel that you have a cold in the head, put a tea-spoonful of sugar in a goblet, and on it put six drops of camphor, stir it…
TO PREVENT TAKING COLD
If out in cold weather with insufficient clothing or wrappings, fold a newspaper and spread across the chest. Persons having weak lungs can…
CATARRH COLD
Ten drops carbolic acid, and seven and a half each of 'iodine and chloroform; heat a few drops over a spirit lamp in a test tube, holding…
WHOOPING COUGH
Mix one lemon sliced, half pint flax-seed, two ounces honey, and one quart water, and simmer, not boil, four hours; strain when cool, and…
EYE WASH
Sulphate of zinc two grains, sulphate of morphine one-half grain, distilled water one ounce; mix, and bottle. Drop in the eye (a drop or…
CONKLIN'S SALVE
One pound of resin, two ounces mutton tallow, one of beeswax, one-half gill alcoholic spirits, add a little of the gum of balsam; boil all…
MUSTARD PLASTER
Mix with boiling water, vinegar, or white of an egg (the latter is best when a blister is not wanted) to consistency the same as if for the…
COUGH MIXTURE
Dissolve one-fourth pound gum-arabic in half-pint boil-- ing water, add a half tea-cup sugar and honey, and two table-spoons lemon juice…
DRUNKENNESS
There is a prescription in use in England for the cure of drunkenness, by which thousands are said to have been assisted in recovering…
BLISTERS FOR DIPHTHERIA
The method of treating that form of pulmonary consumption which consists in ulceration in the substance of the lungs, by means of blisters…
HEALING SALVE FOR WOUNDS
Pint olive-oil, half ounce common resin, half ounce beeswax; melt well together, and bring oil to boiling heat.; add. X gradually of…
HOW TO DISTINGUISH RASHES
Measles appear as a number of dull red spots, in many places running into each other, and is usually first seen about the face and on the…
SURE CURE FOR CROUP
Boil pigs' feet in water, without salt, and let it stand over night; in the morning skim off the fat (which will be formed in a cake on…
CURE FOR FELON
When a felon first makes its appearance, take the inside skin of an egg-shell, and wrap it around the part affected. When the pressure…
FOR CONSTIPATION
The same remedies will not affect all persons. One or two figs eaten fasting is sufficient for some, and they are especially good in the…
SCARLET FEVER, OR SCARLATINA
When to the feeling of general illness which accompanies all fevers is added a very rapid pulse, 120-130, and a temperature of…
THE TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA
The symptoms of diphtheria are much like a common sore throat accompanied by a severe cold. The sore throat is accompanied with more fever…
MOTHER KROH'S FELON SALVE
Take two pounds of fat from the outside of ham or smoked meat, six onions, resin and beeswax, each the size of an egg (use the common dark…