MEDICAL AND HOUSEHOLD RECEIPTS.

Those receipts with initials and recommendations attached to them have been tried, and are recommended by intelligent Correspondents. It must not be supposed, however, that where such a signature or recommendation is absent, the receipt cannot be relied upon. They are all of the first class.

The following recipes for various aperient medicines have been drawn up at our request, by a Medical Gentleman, in consequence of the expression of a want felt by heads of families of simple and safe laxatives, without the cost of an application to an apothecary, or the risk attendant upon taking quack medicines:—

Spring Aperients.—For children, nothing is better than:—1. Brimstone and treacle; to each tea-cupful of this, when mixed, add a tea-spoonful of cream of tartar. As this sometimes produces sickness, the following may be used:—2. Take of tartrate of soda one drachm and a half, powdered jalap and powdered rhubarb each fifteen grains, ginger two grains. Mix. Dose for a child above five years, one small tea-spoonful; above ten years, a large tea-spoonful; above fifteen, half the whole, or two tea-spoonfuls; and for a person above twenty, three tea-spoonfuls, or the whole, as may be required by the habit of the person. This medicine may be dissolved in warm water, common or mint tea. This powder can be kept for use in a wide-mouthed bottle, and be in readiness for any emergency. The druggist may be directed to treble or quadruple the quantities as convenient.

Tonic Aperient.—3. Take of Epsom salts one ounce, diluted sulphuric acid one drachm, infusion of quassia chips half an imperial pint, compound tincture of rhubarb two drachms. Half a wine-glassful for a dose twice a day.

Aperient Pills.—To some adults all liquid medicines produce such nausea that pills are the only form in which laxative medicines can be exhibited; the following is a useful formula:—4. Take of compound rhubarb pill a drachm and one scruple, of powdered ipecacuanha six grains, and of extract of hyoscyamus one scruple. Mix and beat into a mass, and divide into twenty-four pills. Take one, or two, or if of a very costive habit, three at bed-time.—5. For persons requiring a more powerful purge, the same formula, with ten grains of compound extract of colocynth, will form a good purgative pill. The mass receiving this addition, must be divided into thirty, instead of twenty-four pills.

Black Draught.—6. The common aperient medicine known as black draught is made in the following manner:—Take of senna leaves six drachms, bruised ginger half a drachm, sliced liquorice root four drachms, boiling water half an imperial pint. Keep this standing on the hob, or near the fire, for three hours, then strain, and after allowing it to grow cool, add of sal volatile one drachm and a half, of tincture of senna, and of tincture of cardamoms, each half an ounce. (This mixture will keep a long time in a cool place.) Dose: a wine-glassful for an adult; two table-spoonfuls for young persons above fifteen years of age. It is not a suitable medicine for children.

Infants’ Aperient.—7. Take of rhubarb five grains, magnesia three grains, white sugar a scruple, manna five grains; mix. Dose, varying from a piece half the size of a sweet pea to a piece the size of an ordinary pea.—8. A useful laxative for children is composed of calomel two grains, and sugar a scruple, made into five powders; half of one of these for a child from birth to one year and a half, and a whole one from that age to five years.

Cholera and Bowel Complaints.—Some years ago I received from the late Dr. Beddome, of Tooley Street (the original inventor of Beddome’s Powders), a recipe for bowel complaints, which I have found so uniformly successful in relieving those disorders, and perhaps warding off cholera, that I enclose it for the benefit of your numerous readers.—Robert Brown, Cheapside.—Rhubarb powder, half a drachm; calcined magnesia, one drachm; paregoric elixir, one ounce; peppermint water, half a pint. Mix and shake up, and take two table-spoonfuls every three hours till relieved.—The following is a better prescription for the same purpose:—Take of chalk mixture, eight ounces; aromatic confection, one drachm; compound tincture of camphor, three drachms; oil of carraway, three or four drops. Mix. Take two table-spoonfuls every three hours, or oftener, if the pain and purging are urgent. A tea-spoonful is a dose for young children, and one table-spoonful for those of ten or twelve years of age.

Relief for Asthma.—The following mixture is recommended as a relief for the asthmatic:—Two ounces of the best honey, and one ounce of castor oil mixed. A tea-spoonful to be taken night and morning.—I have tried the foregoing with the best effect.—J. D.

For a Cough.—Quarter of a pound of linseed; quarter of a pound of raisins; two ounces of stick liquorice; two quarts of soft water, to be boiled until reduced to half the quantity. When strained, add a quarter of a pound of brown candy, pounded; one table-spoonful of good old rum, one table-spoonful of lemon-juice or vinegar. A cupful to be taken on going to bed, and more frequently if required. To be warmed.—Used for years, and approved.—A. C. B.

For Colds and Coughs.—Take spermaceti powder, half an ounce; powdered gum arabic, half an ounce; elixir paregoric, three drachms; clarified honey, a table-spoonful; mix and make an electuary; of which a tea-spoonful is to be dissolved in the mouth, and swallowed slowly whenever the cough is troublesome, or the hoarseness great.—B. B.

For Hooping-Cough.—Dissolve a scruple of salt of tartar in a quarter-pint of water; add to it ten grains of cochineal; sweeten it with sugar. Give to an infant the fourth part of a table-spoonful four times a day; two years old, half a spoonful; from four years, a table-spoonful.—E. J. D.—[This has been a very successful mixture.]

To make Toffee for Hooping-Cough.—Take one pound of treacle; half a pound of moist sugar; a piece of butter, the size of a walnut; a tea-spoonful of ginger or lemon-peel, or oil of peppermint; and half a tea-spoonful of jalap. Boil them together till it will set firm in a basin of cold water. It requires stirring while boiling, and takes a long time to boil.—J. G. B.

An excellent and cheap Cough Mixture.—Paregoric elixir one pennyworth, and six drops of laudanum. Mix a little treacle with three or four ounces of vinegar, and put it on the fire till nearly boiling; then add it to the other ingredients. Put it in a bottle, shake it, and it will be ready for use. When the cough is troublesome, take a spoonful.

Hoarseness.—A piece of flannel, dipped in brandy, and applied to the chest, and covered with a dry flannel, is to be worn all night.—Four or six small onions, boiled, and put on buttered toast, and eaten for supper, are likewise good for colds on the chest.

To cure Hiccough or Hiccup.—This spasm is caused by flatulency, indigestion, and acidity. It may be relieved generally by a sudden fright or surprise, or any sudden application of cold, also by swallowing two or three mouthfuls of cold water, by eating a small piece of ice, taking a pinch of snuff, or anything that excites coughing.

For Shortness of Breath, or Difficult Breathing.—Vitriolated spirits of ether, one ounce, camphor twelve grains. Make a solution, of which take a tea-spoonful during the paroxysm. This is usually found to afford instantaneous relief in difficulty of breathing, depending on internal diseases, and other causes, where the patient, from a very quick and laborious breathing, is obliged to be in an erect posture.

Consumption.—Watercresses, eaten plentifully at every meal, are excellent for this complaint. They should also be pounded in a mortar, and the juice thus obtained be drunk by the patient. This simple remedy has completely cured some, and relieved many sufferers from consumption. For the relaxed bowels common in this disease, the following is excellent:—Take fine flour, and tie it up tight in a cloth, and boil it for a day (the longer the better). Let the patient take as much of the dry flour in the inside as will lie on a sixpence, daily, or oftener, if requisite.

Cold, or Inflammation of the Eyes.—The white of an egg mixed with a few bread crumbs (to give it substance), and put into a muslin bag, and applied as a poultice to the eye, will afford great relief in a few minutes, or generally a cure in a day or two. The poultice is best applied at night, or when lying down; when removed, the eye should be well bathed with warm water, using a bit of muslin, not a sponge.

Excellent Medicine for Indigestion.—Carbonate of magnesia, one ounce; carbonate of soda, one ounce; powdered ginger, one drachm; best Turkey rhubarb, half a drachm. Well mix in a mortar, and to be kept in a bottle with a glass stopper. The dose for an adult is half a tea-spoonful.

Excellent Medicine for Rheumatism.—Powdered gum guaiacum, eight grains; flour of sulphur, two drachms; powdered rhubarb, fifteen grains; cream of tartar, one drachm; powdered ginger, thirty grains; powdered nutmeg, eight grains. To be made into an electuary, with two ounces of clarified honey; a tea-spoonful to be taken night and morning.

Quinine Draught.—The following draught, as ordered by Dr. Copland, was of the greatest service in a case of dyspepsia, accompanied by derangement of the liver:—Sulphate of quinine, two grains; diluted sulphuric acid, two drops; spirit of nutmegs, one drachm; distilled water, ten drachms. Mix. To be taken daily at mid-day.

Sedative Ointment.—The violent local irritation which often follows the application of blisters to the surface of children, is a serious objection to their use, and requires that particular care be taken to lessen the liability of sloughing, &c. Should, however, the ulcer be very irritable, the following ointment thickly spread on lint will be found serviceable:—Lime water, oil of almonds, of each half an ounce; mix well together, then add prepared lard, one ounce.

To Prevent Galling in Persons confined to their Beds.—(Most valuable.)—The white of an egg, beaten to a strong froth, then drop in gradually, whilst you are beating, two tea-spoonfuls of spirits of wine, put it into a bottle, and apply occasionally with a feather.

A Cure for Blistered Feet.—Rub the feet, at going to bed, with spirits mixed with tallow, dropped from a lighted candle into the palm of the hand. On the following morning no blisters will exist.

Draught for Palpitation of the Heart, with great Nervous Irritability.—Tincture of foxglove, ten drops; camphor mixture, one ounce; tincture of columba, one drachm. This draught may be taken twice a day.

For Heartburn.—Carbonate of magnesia, ten grains; carbonate of soda, five grains; ginger in powder, five grains; liquorice in powder, fifteen grains. Take as a powder two or three times during the day.

For Inflammation of the Eyes.—Brandy, one tea-spoonful; white-wine vinegar, one tea-spoonful; soft water, nine tea-spoonfuls. Mix—and to be used frequently.

Useful Mixture for Diarrhœa in Infants.—Carbonate of magnesia, half a drachm; rhubarb, in powder, twenty grains; dill water, three ounces; aromatic spirit of ammonia, thirty drops; sugar a tea-spoonful. Mix. Two tea-spoonfuls may be given two or three times a day.

Mixture for Children Teething when the Bowels are Disordered.—Chalk mixture, fifteen drachms; tincture of cinnamon, one drachm. Mix together. Two tea-spoonfuls to be given three or four times a day as required.

Electuary for Scorbutic Eruptions.—Peruvian bark, powdered, half an ounce; aromatic confection, half an ounce; syrup of oranges, a sufficient quantity to mix the bark and confection; and take a piece the size of a nutmeg, three times a day, in a glass of seidlitz or soda-water.

Draught for Hysteric Patients.—Camphor mixture, one ounce; fœtid spirit of ammonia, two drachms.

Fever Draught.—Almond mixture, one ounce; carbonate of potass, twenty grains; syrup of poppies, one drachm. Pour into this a table-spoonful of lemon-juice, and drink while effervescing.

Aperient Electuary.—A very useful family medicine, particularly good for those who are troubled with asthma or rheumatism. One ounce of senna powder; half an ounce of flour of sulphur; two drachms of powdered ginger; half a drachm of saffron powder; four ounces of honey. The size of a nutmeg to be taken night and morning.

Aperient for Children.—Gingerbread, made with oatmeal instead of flour, is a very useful aperient for children.—J. D.—[Good.]

Deafness from Deficient Secretion of Wax.—Take oil of turpentine, half a drachm; olive oil, two drachms. Mix. Two drops to be introduced into the ear at bed-time.

Remedy for Deafness.—Oil of almonds, half a pound; garlic, bruised, one ounce; alkanet root, a quarter of an ounce; infuse and strain. In deafness, a little to be poured into the ear.

Zinc Ointment is made by rubbing well together one ounce of oxide of zinc, and six ounces of hog’s lard. This ointment is useful for chilblains; it is also commonly used for dressing the sores remaining after scalds and burns, to absorb the great discharge which generally follows; and it is a very good application to cracked skin, from which a watery fluid oozes and irritates the neighbouring skin.

For the Cure of Chilblains.—Put the hands and feet once a week into hot water, in which two or three handfuls of common salt have been thrown; this is a certain cure.—Z.

Method of Preventing Cold Feet at Bed-time.—Draw off your stockings just before undressing, and rub your ankles and feet well with your hand, as hard as you can bear the pressure, for five or ten minutes, and you will never have to complain of cold feet in bed. It is hardly conceivable what a pleasurable glow this diffuses. Frequent washing of the feet, and rubbing them thoroughly dry with a linen cloth or flannel, is very useful.—J. R., Warwick.

Cure of Corns.—Place the feet for half an hour, two or three nights successively, in a pretty strong solution of common soda. The alkali dissolves the indurated cuticle, and the corn falls out spontaneously, leaving a small excavation, which soon fills up.—E. J.—[Certain.]

Another.—Soak some young ivy leaves in vinegar for a few hours; then tie one of the leaves on the corn with a piece of thread. It should be changed each night and morning, and in a few days the corn can be taken out without any pain. Six friends have tried this with great success. After the corn has been taken out, the leaves should be continued for a day or two, in order to remove any little hardness that may remain.

Another.—Cut a piece of the soap cerate plaster, spread on calico, of the size required, and apply to the corn.—One application has cured mine.—E. C., Bridlington Quay.

To remove Corns.—Get four ounces of white diachylon plaster, four ounces of shoemaker’s wax, and sixty drops of muriatic acid or spirits of salt. Boil them for a few minutes in an earthen pipkin, and when cold, roll the mass between the hands and apply a little on a piece of white leather.

A certain Cure for Soft Corns.—Dip a piece of soft linen rag in turpentine, and wrap it round the toe on which the soft corn is, night and morning; in a few days the corn will disappear; but the relief is instantaneous. I have tried this with the greatest success.—S. H., Hull.

Sore Throat.—I have been subject to sore throat, and have invariably found the following preparation (simple and cheap) highly efficacious when used in the early stage: Pour a pint of boiling water upon twenty-five or thirty leaves of common sage; let the infusion stand for half an hour. Add vinegar sufficient to make it moderately acid, and honey according to the taste. This combination of the astringent and the emollient principle seldom fails to produce the desired effect. The infusion must be used as a gargle several times a day. It has this advantage over many gargles—it is pleasant to the taste, and may be swallowed occasionally, not only without danger, but with advantage.—G. M.

Ear-ache.—Sometimes ear-ache is connected with chronic ulceration in the external and internal part of the ear, when injections of warm water and soap are advisable. In this case, there is sometimes a constant fœtid discharge, for which the following mixture has been recommended by Dr. Hugh Smith:—Take of ox-gall, three drachms; balsam of Peru, one drachm. Mix. A drop or two to be put into the ear with a little cotton.

Cure for Tooth-ache (outward application), Chilblains, etc.—Take of solution of ammonia, two drachms; camphorated spirit, six drachms; essence of bergamot, ten drops, and mix.—I have tried it, and found it very efficacious.—E. C., Bridlington Quay.

Tooth-ache.—Dr. Blake recommends two drachms of alum, to be dissolved in seven drachms of sweet spirits of nitre; a piece of lint or a small piece of sponge to be dipped in the solution and applied to the tooth.

A Valuable Receipt for the Tic-Douloureux.—I was dreadfully afflicted with it, and the receipt has cured me and many others; it is simple, as follows:—Take half a pint of rose-water, add two tea-spoonfuls of white vinegar, to form a lotion. Apply it to the part affected three or four times a day. It requires fresh linen and lotion each application; this will, in two or three days, gradually take the pain away. The above receipt I feel desirous of being made known to the public, as I have before mentioned the relief I have experienced, and others, whose names I could give.—J. T.

To Cure Warts.—Take a cake of dry pipe-clay, and scrape a little from it, then rub the wart or warts well with it four or six times a day till they disappear. I had one on my forehead above twelve months, which pained me very much in putting on or taking off my hat. I tried the above receipt, by rubbing it well about four times a day; and in the course of a fortnight it was gone, leaving only a mark behind. I can feel nothing of it now, even by rubbing it with my finger.—A. M.

To Eradicate Warts.—Dissolve as much common washing soda as the water will take up; repeatedly wash with this for a minute or two, and let the warts dry without wiping.

A Certain Cure for Warts.—Take the inner rind of a lemon, steep it twenty-four hours in vinegar, and apply it to the wart. The lemon must not remain on the part above three hours, and must then be applied fresh every day.—F. E. W.—[This is only another mode of applying acetic acid. The application with a camel-hair brush is the best method.]

Another Method.—Get a little bullock’s gall, keep it in a bottle, and rub a little on the wart two or three times a day.

Remedy for Rheumatism, Lumbago, Sprains, Bruises, Chilblains (before they are broken), and Bites of Insects.—One raw egg well beaten, half a pint of vinegar, one ounce of spirits of turpentine, a quarter of an ounce of spirits of wine, a quarter of an ounce of camphor. These ingredients to be beaten well together, then put in a bottle and shaken for ten minutes, after which, to be corked down tightly to exclude the air. In half an hour it is fit for use. Directions:—To be well rubbed in, two, three, or four times a day. For rheumatism in the head, to be rubbed at the back of the neck and behind the ears. This liniment can be made at home for 9d.; if not made at home, the chemist should be told to follow the prescription exactly.—J. H. D.

A Certain Remedy for Spasms.—Take three-pennyworth of balsam of sulphur, and three-pennyworth of oil of aniseed; put these together, and let them stand in a warm place for twenty-four hours, and at the same time take two-pennyworth of spirits of wine, and two-pennyworth of spirits of turpentine, put these together, and let them stand as the above; then, after twenty-four hours, mix the whole well together. Take seven or eight drops on a piece of loaf sugar when the pain is troublesome, and it will give instant relief. Observe, a little tea or coffee may be taken afterwards, to rinse the mouth.—W. W.

Simple Remedy for a Pain in the Side.—At bed-time take a fresh cabbage-leaf, hold it near the fire till quite warm, and then apply it to the part affected, binding it tight with a cloth round the body; let it remain for twelve hours or more, when it will generally be found to have removed the pain. If not entirely removed, it will be well to repeat the application of a fresh leaf, allowing it to remain on the same time as the first. This will very seldom fail.—I have forwarded the above three very simple, yet, at the same time, efficacious prescriptions, with the intention that they may be of service to some of the numerous readers of your volume, as well as in the district in which I reside.—A. L.

For Sprains and Bruises.—Especially where the parts are discoloured with blood underneath the skin, and for rheumatic swelling of the joints: Vinegar, one pint; distilled water, half a pint; rectified spirits, one and a half pint; camphor, two ounces. Mix the vinegar and water, dissolve the camphor in the spirits of wine, and then put them all together. For sprains, bruises, and other injuries, when the skin is not broken: Carbonate of ammonia, two ounces; vinegar, two pints; proof spirit, three pints. Mix the ammonia with the vinegar; when the effervescence ceases, add the spirit. In inflammation of the joints of some standing, this is mixed with linseed meal, and applied as a poultice, twice a day.

Primrose Ointment for Burns and Ulcers.—Bruise one pound of the leaves of this well-known plant in a mortar, along with half a pound of the flowers; simmer these in an equal quantity of hog’s lard, without salt, until the primroses become crisp; after which, the ointment, whilst fluid, must be strained through a coarse sieve. This is an excellent application for obstinate ulcers or burns.

An Excellent Remedy for Sprains.—Put the white of an egg into a saucer, keep stirring it with a piece of alum about the size of a walnut until it becomes a thick jelly; apply a portion of it on a piece of lint or tow large enough to cover the sprain, changing it for a fresh one as often as it feels warm or dry: the limb is to be kept in a horizontal position by placing it on a chair.—B. B.

Resin Ointment, or Yellow Basilicon, is composed of two ounces of yellow wax, five ounces of white resin, and seven ounces of hog’s lard; these must be slowly melted together, and stirred constantly with a stick, till completely mixed. This ointment is sometimes used in treating scalds and burns; also for dressing blisters, when it is wished to keep up a discharge from them for a few days. This is a stimulating ointment.

Lime Liniment for Burns, Scalds, etc.—Linseed or common olive oil, and lime water equal parts; to be shaken up together every time of use, for scrofula and syphilitic sores, and still more for burns and scalds.

To Prevent the Skin From Discolouring after a Blow or a Fall.—Take a little dry starch or arrow-root, and merely moisten it with cold water, and lay it on the injured part; this must be done immediately, so as to prevent the action of the air upon the skin; however, it may be applied some hours afterwards with effect. I learnt this when resident in France; it may already be known here, but I have met with none amongst my own acquaintances who seem to have heard of it. Raw meat is not always at hand, and some children have an insurmountable repugnance to let it be applied. I always make use of the above when my children meet with an accident, and find that it keeps down swelling, and cleanses, and facilitates the healing of scratches, when they happen to fall on the gravel in the garden.—J. M. A. M.

Pains after Exertion.—It is not generally known to pedestrians that the pains in the knees and legs, which usually follow after a long excursion, and which continue with some persons for two or three days after, may be prevented or considerably lessened, by bathing the parts affected in cold spring water, immediately before going to bed. Care should be taken, if the feet be dipped in the water, afterwards to dry them thoroughly with a rough towel; and persons of weak constitution, or liable to cramp, ought not to dip their feet at all. Those who reside at the sea-side, if of sound strong constitutions, will find great relief in the summer months, by bathing in the sea, but this practice ought not to be adopted without great caution. In my own case, and that of two of my brothers, it has proved invaluable for restoring vigour and energy to the system, after a long and tiring walk.—F. J. L., Margate.

To Heal Burns.—Steep the bark of sumach-root, and boil it away until it is very strong; then add hog’s lard, and boil it until the water has all evaporated. A little of this applied to a burn will check the inflammation instantly. It has been known to cure dangerous scalds when physicians’ remedies have failed.—S.

Certain Cure for Cramp in the Legs.—Stretch out the heel of the leg as far as possible, at the same time drawing up the toes as far as possible. This will often stop a fit of the cramp after it has commenced. I have never known this fail.—E. J.

Calamine Ointment, or Turner’s Cerate, consists of half a pound of yellow wax, and a pint of olive oil, which are to be melted together; this being done, half a pound of calamine powder is to be sifted in, and stirred till the whole be completely mixed. This is an excellent ointment for stimulating sluggish wounds or sores.

Bleeding at the Nose.—To stop this malady, which is sometimes alarming, it is recommended by Dr. Negrier (who has extensively tried it) simply to elevate the patient’s arm. The explanation is based upon physiological grounds: the greater force required to propel the blood through the vessels of the arm when elevated, causes the pressure upon the vessels of the head to be diminished by the increased action which takes place in the course of the brachial arteries (the arteries of the arms). If the theory be sound, both arms should be elevated.

Hydrophobia.—No kennel should be without this medicine:—Six ounces filings of pewter, six ounces rue, four ounces garlic, four ounces mithridate or Venice treacle. Cut the rue and garlic small; mix them with three quarts of strong beer, or white wine, in an earthen vessel that can be stopped close; put it into a pot of water with hay tied about it, to prevent it from being broken against the sides of the pot when the water is boiling; let it simmer over a slow fire three or four hours, then squeeze the liquor from the herbs, bottle it for use, and seal the cork. How to apply it:—For a dog, one table-spoonful the first day, two the second, three the third, four the fourth, and five the fifth; continue to give five for four mornings more; nine mornings in all. The same quantity to man or woman, making allowances for robust or less vigorous frames. To a child, half the quantity.

Poison.—When you have reason to suppose that you have accidentally swallowed a poisonous substance, and proper medical advice is not at hand, take an emetic. This may be done almost instantaneously by swallowing a cupful of warm water mixed with a tea-spoonful of mustard. If you have not dry mustard in the house, you are almost sure to have a mustard-pot, and a quantity from that put into the water will very quickly empty the stomach. As mustard may thus prove of so much use, it should never be wanting in any house; but even should there be no mustard at hand, warm water by itself forms a tolerably efficacious emetic.

A Hint to Invalids.—It may not be generally known to persons in delicate health that new milk put into a vessel, and let stand until it becomes of a pleasant sourish taste, is much more wholesome and nutritious than sweet milk; it is more cooling and strengthening, and agrees with many stomachs with which new milk will not.—H. C.

A Fumigation for Infected Air.—Take muriatic acid, and nitrous acid, of each half an ounce; put them into a quart bottle; add of manganese an ounce and a half; carry this about the room for a few minutes; a powerful smell will then be perceived, which will be sufficient; then let the bottle be closely stopped till the air begins to be offensive, when the same method must be repeated. This will last for months.

To prevent Infection from Typhus Fever.—Six drachms of powdered saltpetre, six ounces oil of vitriol; mix them in a tea-cup by adding one drachm of the oil at a time. The cup to be placed during the preparation on the hearth, and to be stirred with a tobacco-pipe. The cup to be placed in different parts of the room.—F. E. W.

To Remove the Smell of House Sewage.—Mix gypsum (sulphate of lime), with the sewage, which is called “deodorising,” and it will partially answer the purpose; but peat charcoal will be found a more effective addition.

To Cure the Sting of a Wasp.—Apply oil of tartar, or solution of potash, to the part affected, and it will give you instant ease.—F. E. W.

Fly Water.—The following preparation, without endangering the lives of children, or other incautious persons, is not less fatal to flies than a solution of arsenic. Dissolve two drachms of the extract of quassia in half a pint of boiling water, add a little sugar or syrup, and put the mixture in plates.—F. E. W.

To avoid Injury from Bees.—A wasp or bee swallowed may be killed before it can do harm, by taking a tea-spoonful of common salt dissolved in water. It kills the insect and cures the sting. Salt, at all times, is the best cure for external stings; sweet oil, pounded mallows, or onions, or powdered chalk made into a paste with water, are also efficacious.

Effectual Method of curing the Stings of Bees and Wasps.—The sting of a bee is generally more virulent than that of a wasp, and with some people attended with very violent effects. The sting of a bee is barbed at the end, and, consequently, always left in the wound: that of a wasp is pointed only, so that they can sting more than once, which a bee cannot do. When any person is stung by a bee, let the sting, in the first place, be instantly pulled out; for the longer it remains in the wound, the deeper it will pierce, owing to its peculiar form, and emit more of the poison. The sting is hollow, and the poison flows through it, which is the sole cause of the pain and inflammation. The pulling out of the sting should be done carefully, and with a steady hand; for if any part of it breaks in, all remedies then, in a great measure, will be ineffectual. When the sting is extracted, suck the wounded part, if possible, and very little inflammation, if any, will ensue. If hartshorn drops are immediately afterwards rubbed on the part, the cure will be more complete. All notions of the efficacy of sweet oil, bruised parsley, burnt tobacco, &c., appear, on various trials, to be totally groundless. On some people, the sting of bees and wasps has no effect, it is therefore of little consequence what remedy they apply to the wound. However, the effect of stings greatly depends on the habit of body a person is of; at one time a sting takes little or no effect, though no remedy is used, which at another time will be very virulent on the same person. I have had occasion to test this remedy several times, and I can safely avouch its efficacy. The exposure to which persons are subjected during the hot summer months, will no doubt render the advice very useful, its very simplicity making it more acceptable.—W. F. C., Islington.

Disinfecting Liquid.—In a wine-bottle of cold water, dissolve two ounces acetate of lead (sugar of lead); and then add two (fluid) ounces of strong nitric acid (aqua-fortis). Shake the mixture, and it will be ready for use.—A very small quantity of the liquid, in its strongest form, should be used for cleansing all kinds of chamber utensils.—For removing offensive odours, clean cloths thoroughly moistened with the liquid, diluted with eight or ten parts of water, should be suspended at various parts of the room.—In this case the offensive and deleterious gases are neutralized by chemical action. Fumigation in the usual way is only the substitution of one odour for another. In using the above, or any other disinfectant, let it never be forgotten that fresh air—and plenty of it—is cheaper and more effective than any other material.—O. N.

TOILETTE RECEIPTS.

Hair Dye, No. 1.—I have operated upon my own cranium for at least a dozen years, and though I have heard it affirmed that dyeing the hair will produce insanity, I am happy to think I am, as yet, perfectly sane, and under no fear of becoming insane; at all events, I am wiser than I once was, when I paid five shillings for what I myself can now make for less than twopence!—but to the question:—I procure lime, which I speedily reduce to powder by throwing a little water upon it; then mix this with litharge (three-quarters lime and a quarter litharge), which I sift through a fine hair sieve; and then I have what is sold at a high price under the name of “Unique Powder,” and the most effectual hair dye that has yet been discovered. But the application of it is not very agreeable, though simple enough:—Put a quantity of it in a saucer, pour boiling water upon it, and mix it up with a knife like thick mustard; divide the hair into thin layers with a comb, and plaster the mixture thickly into the layers to the roots, and all over the hair. When it is all completely covered over with it, then lay all over it a covering of damp blue or brown paper, and bind over it closely a handkerchief, then put on a nightcap over all, and go to bed; in the morning, brush out the powder, wash thoroughly with soap and warm water, then dry, curl, oil, &c. I warrant that hair thus managed will be a permanent and beautiful black, which, I dare say, most people would prefer to either gray or red.—J. G.

Hair Dye, No. 2.—Moisten the hair first with a solution of silver in nitric acid, and then with a weak solution of the hydro-sulphuret of ammonia. This is instantaneous in its effects. It is to be observed that it also stains the skin.

Superfluous Hair.—Seeing a general desire for a receipt to remove superfluous hairs, I send you one which I can recommend:—Lime, one ounce; carbonate of potash, two ounces; charcoal powder, one drachm; mix with warm water to a paste, and apply it to the hair. When dry, wash it off.—W. Ll. R.

For Thickening and Strengthening the Hair.—Skim the fat from the top of calves’ feet while boiling; mix with a tea-spoonful of rum; shake together. Apply night and morning.

Economical Hair Wash.—Take one ounce of borax, half an ounce of camphor, powder these ingredients fine, and dissolve them in one quart of boiling water; when cool, the solution will be ready for use; damp the hair frequently. This wash not only effectually cleanses and beautifies, but strengthens the hair, preserves the colour, and prevents early baldness. The camphor will form into lumps, but the water will be sufficiently impregnated.

To Promote the Growth of Hair.—Mix equal parts of olive oil and spirits of rosemary, and add a few drops of oil of nutmeg. If the hair be rubbed every night with this, and the proportion be very gradually increased, it will answer every purpose of increasing the growth of the hair. I have tried this, and recommended it to others, with the best effect.—E. J.

Erasmus Wilson’s Lotion to Promote the Growth Of Hair.—Eau de Cologne, two ounces; tincture of cantharides, two drachms; oil of rosemary and oil of lavender, of each ten drops.

Camphor Cerate for Chapped Hands.—Take one ounce and a half of spermaceti, half an ounce of white wax, scrape them into an earthen vessel or pipkin (an earthen jam-pot will do), add six drachms of pounded camphor, and pour on the whole four table-spoonfuls of best olive oil; let it stand before the fire till it dissolves, stirring it well when liquid. Before you wash your hands, take a small piece of the cerate, and rub it into your hands, then wash them as usual. Putting the cerate on before going to bed is very good. The ingredients cost one shilling, and this quantity will last for three winters. The vessel should be covered, to prevent evaporation.

Macassar Oil To Make the Hair Grow and Curl.—Olive oil, one pound; oil of origanum, one drachm; oil of rosemary, one drachm and a quarter. Mix.

To Make a Curling Fluid for the Hair.—Melt a bit of white bees’ wax, about the size of a filbert kernel, in one ounce of olive oil; to this add one or two drops of attar of roses.

To Soften the Skin, and Improve the Complexion.—If flour of sulphur be mixed in a little milk, and after standing an hour or two, the milk (without disturbing the sulphur) be rubbed into the skin, it will keep it soft, and make the complexion clear. It is to be used before washing. This recipe is used in my family every day, and found to answer.—G. W.

To Whiten the Nails.—Diluted sulphuric acid, two drachms; tincture of myrrh, one drachm; spring water, four ounces. Mix. First cleanse with white soap, and then dip the fingers into the mixture.—N.

To Whiten the Hands.—Take a wine-glassful of Eau de Cologne, and another of lemon-juice; then scrape two cakes of brown Windsor soap to a powder, and mix well in a mould. When hard, it will be an excellent soap for whitening the hands.

An Excellent Eye-wash.—I send you the following recipe, having found it very useful in my own case. It is especially adapted to relieve the pain and weakness incident to the eyes of elderly people, when depending on debility of the optic nerves:—Take sulphate of zinc, one drachm; spirit of camphor, three drachms; distilled water, hot, four ounces; rose-water, eight ounces. Pour the boiling water upon the zinc and camphorated spirit in a closed vessel, and when cold, strain through linen or fine tow; then add the rose-water.—J. Wilson, Cork.

For Weak Eyes.—Two grains acetate of zinc, in two ounces of rose-water; filter the liquor carefully, and wash the eyes night and morning. I have used the above for many years.—M. A. S.

Goulard Lotion, or Lead Wash.—This may be made by dissolving one drachm of sugar of lead in a pint of soft water. Some persons are very fond of using this wash, with the addition of spirits of wine, as an evaporant; but I do not like it, for it renders the skin very dry and harsh, and its sedative virtue acting through unbroken skin, is not of much value. Under other circumstances, it is very often useful. When used as a wash for the eyes, two grains of the sugar of lead are to be dissolved in two table-spoonfuls of water.

To Fill a Decayed Tooth.—Procure a small piece of gutta-percha, drop it into boiling water, then, with the thumb and finger, take off as much as you suppose will fill up the tooth nearly level, and while in the soft state press into the tooth; then hold on that side of the mouth cold water two or three times, which will harden it.—The writer of this chanced to try it, and for two years has found it very successful; of course the breath is sweeter, and the tooth free from cold.—G. A. M.

New Method of Filling Teeth.—Mix thirteen parts of pure finely powdered caustic lime with twelve parts of anhydrous phosphoric acid. This powder is moist during the mixing, and, while in that state, is to be introduced into the decayed tooth. The place in the tooth is to be made dry before receiving the mixture. This kind of filling must be used two or three minutes after being prepared. Soon after it is lodged in the decayed cavity, it becomes very solid.—E. A. C.

Simple Means of Removing Tartar from the Teeth.—In the summer months, tartar may be effectually removed from the teeth, by partaking frequently of strawberries.

Tooth-Powder.—Powdered orris-root, half an ounce; powdered charcoal, two ounces; powdered Peruvian bark, one ounce; prepared chalk, half an ounce; oil of bergamot or lavender, twenty drops. These ingredients must be well worked up in a mortar, until thoroughly incorporated. This celebrated tooth-powder possesses three essential virtues, giving an odorous breath, cleansing and purifying the gums, and preserving the enamel; the last rarely found in popular tooth-powders.—C.

Simple Mode of Cleansing the Teeth.—Take a tooth-brush, which, after having dipped it in water, rub upon your cake of soap, and then apply to the teeth; the mouth can easily be cleansed of the soap-suds, by rinsing with water. I have found this simple receipt very effective.—J. T.

Excellent Dentifrice.—I have used the following dentifrice for seven or eight years uninterruptedly, and can confidently recommend it as excellent and economical:—Procure a lump of whiting, and scrape off as much, in fine powder, as will fill a pint pot. Take two ounces of camphor, moisten it with a few drops of brandy or spirit of wine, and rub it into a powder. Mix this with the whiting, and add to it half an ounce of powdered myrrh. Put the whole into a wide-mouthed bottle, and cork down. A small portion of this may be emptied into a box every few days for use. By keeping it corked down, it will be as fragrant at the end of the year as when made. If too strong of the camphor, it will be easy to add a little more whiting.—T. K.

Cold Cream.—Sweet almond oil, seven pounds by weight; white wax, three-quarters of a pound; spermaceti, three-quarters of a pound; clarified mutton suet, one pound; rose-water, seven pints; spirits of wine, one pint. Directions to mix the above:—Place the oil, wax, spermaceti, and suet in a large jar; cover it over tightly, then place it in a saucepan of boiling water (having previously placed two or more pieces of fire-wood at the bottom of the saucepan, to allow the water to get underneath the jar, and to prevent its breaking); keep the water boiling round the jar till all the ingredients are dissolved; take it out of the water, and pour it into a large pan previously warmed and capable of holding twenty-one pints; then, with a wooden spatula, stir in the rose-water, cold, as quickly as possible (dividing it into three or four parts at most), the stirring in of which should not occupy above five minutes, as after a certain heat the water will not mix. When all the water is in, stir unremittingly for thirty minutes longer to prevent its separating, then add the spirits of wine and the scent, and it is finished. Keep it in a cold place, in a white glazed jar, and do not cut it with a steel knife, as it causes blackness at the parts of contact. Scent with otto of roses and essential oil of bergamot to fancy. For smaller quantities, make ounces instead of pounds.—R. S.

Rosemary Pomatum.—Strip from the stems two large handfuls of recently gathered rosemary. Boil these in a well-tinned saucepan, with half a pound of hog’s lard, till reduced to four ounces. Strain it, and put it into a pomatum pot. Oils for the hair may be made by simply stirring any essential oils into oil of ben, oil of almonds, olive oil, or castor oil. The pink and red oils are coloured by being heated to the boiling point, and poured upon alkanet root. But such preparation is bad, because heating the oil to the point necessary to make it act upon the dye of the alkanet root, gives it a tendency to become rancid. Coloured oils should therefore be avoided, if it be for this reason only; but for ladies who wear caps, there is a still stronger—coloured oils always stain these caps.—W.

Pomatum.—Take of white mutton suet four pounds, well boiled in hot water (three quarts), and washed to free it from salt. Melt the suet when dried with a pound and a half of fresh lard, and two pounds of yellow wax. Pour into an earthen vessel, and stir it till it is cold; then beat into it thirty drops of oil of cloves, or any other essential oil whose scent you prefer. If this kind of pomatum is too hard, use less wax.

To make Court-Plaster.—Stretch tightly, some thin black or flesh-coloured silk in a wooden frame, securing it with packthread or small tacks. Then go all over it with a soft bristle brush, dipped in dissolved isinglass or strong gum arabic water. Give it two or three coats, letting it dry between each. Then go several times over it with white of egg.—J. Manson.

Rose Lip Salve.—Eight ounces sweet almond oil, four ounces prepared mutton suet, one ounce and a half white wax, two ounces spermaceti, twenty drops otto; steep a small quantity of alkanet root in the oil, and strain before using. Melt the suet, wax, and spermaceti together, then add the chloric oil and otto.—R. S.

Bandoline for the Hair (a French Receipt).—To one quart of water put half an ounce of quince pips, boil it nearly an hour, stirring it well, strain it through a piece of fine muslin, let it stand twenty-four hours, and then add fourteen drops of the essential oil of almonds. A dessert-spoonful of brandy may be added, if required to keep a long time.—E. I.

Bandoline for the Hair.—Take of castor oil, two ounces; spermaceti, one drachm; oil of bergamot, one drachm. Mix with heat and strain; then beat in six drops otto of roses. If wished coloured, add half a drachm of annatto. Tried and recommended by W. B. W. K. Cost, 1s. 4d.

Elder-Flower Ointment.—This is the mildest, blandest, and most cooling ointment, as the old women term it, which can be used, and is very suitable for anointing the face or neck when sun-burnt. It is made of fresh elder-flowers stripped from the stalks, two pounds of which are simmered in an equal quantity of hog’s lard till they become crisp, after which the ointment, whilst fluid, is strained through a coarse sieve.

Bear’s Grease (Imitative).—Hog’s lard, sixteen ounces; flour of benzoin and palm oil, of each a quarter of an ounce. Melt together until combined, and stir until cold. Scent at pleasure. This will keep a long time.

Pomade Victoria.—This highly-praised and excellent pomade is made in the following way—and if so made, will be found to give a beautiful gloss and softness to the hair:—Quarter of a pound of honey and half an ounce of bees’ wax simmered together for a few minutes, and then strain; and of oil of almonds, lavender and thyme, half a drachm each. Be sure to continue stirring till quite cold, or the honey and wax will separate.—Tried and recommended by W. W.

Cold Cream.—Lard, six ounces; spermaceti, one ounce and a drachm and a half; white wax, three drachms; rose-water, three ounces; carbonate of potass, fifteen grains; spirits of wine, three-quarters of an ounce; essential oil of bergamot, three drachms. Melt the three first, then add the rose-water, carbonate of potass, and spirits of wine, stirring well, and when nearly cold add the perfume. I can safely say that this is first-rate, having made many pounds of it.—G. R. M. D.

To Perfume Linen.—Rose leaves dried in the shade, or at about four feet from a stove, one pound; cloves, carraway seeds, and allspice, of each one ounce; pound in a mortar, or grind in a mill; dried salt, a quarter of a pound. Mix all these together, and put the compound into little bags.—S., Clapham.

Pot-Pourri.—Take of orris-root, flag-root, bruised, each four ounces; yellow sandal-wood, three ounces; sweet cedar-wood, one ounce; gum benzoin, storax, of each one ounce; cloves, half an ounce; nutmegs, one ounce; patchouli leaves, one ounce. The above should be all coarsely powdered, and well mixed. Then add—bay salt, one pound; rose leaves, three ounces; essence of lemon, half a drachm; millefleurs, one drachm; oil of lavender (English) twenty drops; musk, ten grains. The above may be used for saquets, if the bay salt and rose leaves are omitted, substituting for the latter ten drops of otto of roses. The above forms a grateful perfume, and will retain its scent for a considerable time. It may be relied upon as excellent.—W. G. G.

To make Eau de Cologne.—Rectified spirits of wine, four pints; oil of bergamot, one ounce; oil of lemon, half an ounce; oil of rosemary, half a drachm; oil of neroli, three-quarters of a drachm; oil of English lavender, one drachm; oil of oranges, one drachm. Mix well and then filter. If these proportions are too large, smaller ones may be used.—A. L.

To Extract the Perfume of Flowers.—Procure a quantity of the petals of any flower which has an agreeable flavour; card thin layers of cotton wool, which dip into the finest Florence oil; sprinkle a small quantity of fine salt on the flowers, and place layers of cotton and flowers alternately, until an earthen or wide-mouthed glass vessel is quite full. Tie the top close with a bladder, and lay the vessel in a south aspect, exposed to the heat of the sun, and in fifteen days, when opened, a fragrant oil may be squeezed away from the whole mass; little inferior (if roses are made use of) to the dear and highly-valued otto, or odour of roses.

Essentia Odorifera.—Take of musk grain, ten grains; civet, five grains; Peruvian balsam, twelve grains; oil of cloves, four drops; oil of rhodium, two drops; sub-carbonate of potash, half a drachm; rectified spirits of wine, two ounces. Digest them together in a close vessel, with a heat equal to that of the sun in summer (78 deg. Fahr.) for several days, and afterwards pour off the essence for use. This is an exquisite perfume, and a single drop gives a fine flavour to many ounces of other liquors.—K.

A Very Pleasant Perfume, and also Preventive against Moths.—Take of cloves, caraway seeds, nutmegs, mace, cinnamon, and Tonquin beans, of each one ounce; then add as much Florentine orris-root as will equal the other ingredients put together. Grind the whole well to powder, and then put it in little bags, among your clothes, &c.—A. L.

To Loosen the Stoppers of Smelling-Bottles.—If the stopper is firmly fixed by means of the salts contained within the bottle, do not attempt to strike the stopper, but add as much citric acid to water as it will take up, thus making what chemists term a saturated solution; or else pour some vinegar into a tumbler, and immerse the bottle in the solution or vinegar. In the former case a citrate of ammonia will be formed, and in the latter case an acetate of ammonia. After the bottle has remained in the tumbler a short time, remove it to a basin of warm water, and it will soon be released.—K.

Cleaning Combs.—I beg leave to offer a plan that will do away with the “cleaning of a comb,” or, at least, in a great measure lessen that disagreeable duty. Cut a bit of coarse flannel the size of the comb (small-tooth comb I mean) and before you use it work the flannel on to one edge of the comb, push it about half-way up the teeth; when you have used it, draw the flannel off and the comb will easily be made perfectly clean by being rinsed in water. I keep bits of flannel cut always with my comb.—S. K. Y.

To Wash Hair-Brushes.—Never use soap. Take a piece of soda, dissolve it in warm water, stand the brush in it, taking care that the water only covers the bristles; it will almost immediately become white and clean; stand it to dry in the open air with the bristles downwards, and it will be found to be as firm as a new brush.—A Rigid Economist, Guernsey.

To Clean Hair or Clothes-Brushes.—Dissolve about the size of a walnut of washing soda, and an atom of soap in a basin quite full of warm water. Pass the hairs of the brush quickly for a few minutes on the surface of the water without wetting either the handle or back, which always loosens it and spoils varnish brushes; if cleaned in this manner it will save great trouble, and last a much longer time.—M. L. J.

To Clean Head and Clothes-brushes.—Put a table-spoonful of pearlash into a pint of boiling water. Having fastened a bit of sponge to the end of a stick, dip it into the solution, and wash the brush with it; carefully going in among the bristles. Next pour over it some clean hot water, and let it lie a little while. Then drain it, wipe it with a cloth, and dry it before the fire.—J. Gregory.

To Clean Sponge.—Immerse it in cold buttermilk, let it soak for a few hours, and wash it out in clean water, it will be perfectly clean and soft. This I have often tried, and never found it to fail.—J. E. C.

To Clean a Comb.—Many of the readers of the Practical Housewife may perhaps smile upon seeing so simple a recipe as the one I now send, but having during my experience as a housekeeper felt more annoyance from trifling than material causes, I venture to send my contribution. Tie one end of a strong silk thread to the handle of a wash-stand or bureau-drawer. Sit down before it with a towel spread on your lap, and holding the other end of the silk tightly in your left hand, take the comb in your right hand and pass it hard and carefully along the thread, which must be made to go in between all the teeth separately, so as to remove or scrape down all the impurities. Then rub the comb with a comb-brush, or a soft cloth; rinse it in warm soap-suds, and wipe it dry.—M. G., Stockport.

To Clean Bottles Infected with Bad Smells.—Put into bottles so affected some pieces of gray or brown paper; fill them with water; shake the bottles strongly; leave them then a day or two in this state, when, finding them more or less affected, repeat the process, and afterwards rinse them with pure water.—S. S. T.

FOOD FOR INVALIDS.

One of the useful accomplishments of a lady is to understand how to make the invalid in her family comfortable. Food prepared by the kind hand of a wife, mother, sister, friend, has a sweeter relish than the mere ingredients can give, and a restorative power which money cannot purchase. These receipts will enable the watchful attendant to vary the food, as choice or symptoms may render expedient. Jellies and meat broths, together with the various kinds of farinaceous food, are the lightest on the stomach, as well as generally the most nutritious for an invalid. Milk preparations are useful when the lungs are weak. Food that the stomach can digest without distressing the patient is the kind that gives actual strength.

To Make Gruel.—Mix a dessert-spoonful of fine oatmeal or patent groats, in two of cold water, add a pint of boiling water, and boil it ten minutes, keeping it stirred. Or,—boil a quarter of a pint of groats in a quart of water for about two hours, and strain through a sieve. Stir into the gruel a small piece of butter, and some sugar, nutmeg, or ginger, grated; or, if it be not sweetened, add a small pinch of salt.

Barley Gruel.—Wash four ounces of pearl-barley; boil it in two quarts of water with a stick of cinnamon, till reduced to a quart; strain and return it into the saucepan with sugar and three-fourths of a pint of milk. Heat up, and use as wanted.

Flour Caudle.—Mix, smoothly, a table-spoonful of flour with a gill of water; set on the fire in a saucepan a gill of new milk, sweeten it, and, when it boils, add the flour and water; simmer and stir them together for a quarter of an hour.

White Caudle.—Make the gruel as above, strain through a sieve, and stir it till cold. When to be used, sweeten it to taste, grate in some nutmeg, and add a little white wine; a little lemon-peel or juice is sometimes added. The yolk of an egg, well beaten, may likewise be stirred in when the gruel is boiling.

Rice Caudle.—This may be made with water or milk; when it boils, add some ground rice, previously mixed smoothly with a little cold water; boil till thick enough, when sweeten it, and grate in nutmeg, or add a little powdered cinnamon.

Arrow-root.—It is very necessary to be careful not to get the counterfeit sort; if genuine, it is very nourishing, especially for persons with weak bowels. Put into a saucepan half a pint of water, grated nutmeg, and fine sugar; boil up once, then mix it by degrees into a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, previously rubbed smooth with two spoonfuls of cold water. Or,—Mix a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, with a little cold water, have ready boiling water in a kettle, pour it upon the arrow-root until it becomes quite clear, keeping it stirred all the time; add a little sugar. Where milk may be taken, it is very delicious made in the same way with milk instead of water, a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, and half a pint of milk; add a small bit of lemon-peel.

Tapioca.—Choose the largest sort, pour cold water on to wash it two or three times; then soak it in fresh water five or six hours, and simmer it in the same until it becomes quite clear; then put lemon-juice, wine, and sugar. The peel should have been boiled in it. It thickens very much.

Sago.—Cleanse it by first soaking it an hour in cold water, and then washing it in fresh water. To a tea-cupful add a quart of water and a bit of lemon-peel, simmer it till the berries are clear, season it with wine and spice, and boil it all up together. The sago may be boiled with milk instead of water, till reduced to one-half, and served without seasoning.

Sago Milk.—Cleanse as above, and boil it slowly, and wholly with new milk. It swells so much, that a small quantity will be sufficient for a quart, and when done it will be diminished to about a pint. It requires no sugar or flavouring.

Ground Rice Milk.—Boil one spoonful of ground rice, rubbed down smooth, with one pint and a half of milk, a bit of cinnamon, lemon-peel and nutmeg. Sweeten when nearly done.

Restorative Milk.—Boil a quarter of an ounce of isinglass in a pint of new milk till reduced to half, and sweeten.

Suet Milk.—Cut one ounce of mutton or veal suet into shavings, and warm it slowly over the fire in a pint of milk, adding a little grated lemon-peel, cinnamon, and loaf sugar.

Imitation of Asses’ Milk.—Boil together equal quantities of new milk and water; sweeten with white sugar-candy, and strain.—Or, Stir into a gill each of milk and boiling water a well-beaten egg, and sweeten with white sugar-candy.

Barley Milk.—Boil half a pound of washed pearl-barley in one quart of milk and half a pint of water, and sweeten: boil it again, and drink it when almost cold.

Baked Milk.—Is much recommended for consumption. The milk should be put into a moderately warm oven, and be left in it all night.

Calf’s Feet and Milk.—Put into a jar two calf’s feet with a little lemon-peel, cinnamon, or mace, and equal quantities of milk and water to cover them; tie over closely, and set in a slack oven for about three hours; when cold, take off the fat: and sweeten and warm as required.

Sheep’s Trotters.—Simmer six sheep’s trotters, two blades of mace, a little cinnamon, lemon-peel, a few hartshorn shavings, and a little isinglass, in two quarts of water to one; when cold, take off the fat, and give nearly half a pint twice a day, warming with it a little new milk.

Isinglass.—Boil one ounce of isinglass shavings, forty Jamaica peppercorns, and a bit of brown crust of bread, in a quart of water, to a pint, and strain it. This makes a pleasant jelly to keep in the house; of which a large spoonful may be taken in wine and water, milk, tea, soup, or any way most agreeable.

Gloucester Jelly.—Boil in two quarts of water till reduced to one quart, the following ingredients: hartshorn shavings, isinglass, barley and rice, one ounce of each. When this jelly, which is light and very nourishing, is to be taken, a few table-spoonfuls of it must be dissolved in a little milk, together with a bit of cinnamon, lemon-peel, and sugar. It will be very good without the seasoning.

Bread Jelly.—Cut the crumb of a penny roll into thin slices, and toast them equally of a pale brown; boil them gently in a quart of water till it will jelly, which may be known by putting a little in a spoon to cool; strain it upon a bit of lemon-peel, and sweeten it with sugar.

Rice Jelly.—Boil half a pound of rice, and a small piece of cinnamon, in two quarts of water, for one hour; pass it through a sieve, and when cold it will be a firm jelly, which, when warmed in milk and sweetened, will be very nutritious; add one pint of milk to the rice, in the sieve, boil it for a short time, stirring it constantly, strain it, and it will resemble thick milk, if eaten warm.

Strengthening Jelly.—Simmer in two quarts of soft water, one ounce of pearl-barley, one ounce of sago, one ounce of rice, till reduced to one quart; take a tea-cupful in milk, morning, noon, and night.

Hemp-seed Jelly.—Bruise hemp-seeds, boil them in water, and strain; afterwards, simmer the liquor until it is of the thickness of gruel.

Tapioca Jelly.—Wash the tapioca, soak it for three hours in cold water, in which simmer it till dissolved with a piece of thin lemon-peel; then sweeten, and take out the peel before using.

To Make Panada in Five Minutes.—Set a little water on the fire with some sugar and a scrape of nutmeg and lemon-peel; meanwhile grate some crumbs of bread. The moment the mixture boils up, keeping it still on the fire, put the crumbs in, and let it boil as fast as it can. When of a proper thickness just to drink, take it off. Or,—Put to the water a bit of lemon-peel, mix the crumbs in, and, when nearly boiled enough, put some lemon or orange syrup. Observe to boil all the ingredients, for if any be added after, the panada will break and not jelly.

Chicken Panada.—Boil a chicken, till about three parts ready, in a quart of water; take off the skin, cut the white meat off when cold, and put into a marble mortar; pound it to a paste with a little of the water it was boiled in, season with salt, a grate of nutmeg, and the least bit of lemon-peel. Boil gently for a few minutes to the consistency you like; it should be such as you can drink, though tolerably thick. This conveys great nourishment in a small compass.

Sippets.—When the stomach will not receive meat, sippets are very nutritious, and prepared in this simple manner:—On an extremely hot plate, put two or three sippets (small square pieces) of bread, and pour over them some gravy, from beef, mutton, or veal, with which no butter has been mixed. Sprinkle a little salt over.

Broths of Beef, Mutton, and Veal.—Put two pounds of lean beef, one pound of scrag of veal, one pound of scrag of mutton, sweet herbs, and ten peppercorns, into a nice tin saucepan, with five quarts of water; simmer to three quarts, and clear off the fat when cold. Add one onion, if approved. Soup or broth made of different meats is more supporting, as well as better flavoured. To remove the fat, take it off when cold as clean as possible; and if there be still any remaining, lay a bit of clean blotting-paper on the broth when in the basin, and it will take up every particle. Or, if the broth is wanted before there is time to let it get cold, put a piece of cork up the narrow end of a funnel, pour the broth into it, let it stand for a few minutes, and the fat will rise to the top; remove the cork and draw off in a basin as much of the broth as is wanted, which will be perfectly free from fat.

For a Quick-made Broth.—Take a bone or two of a neck or loin of mutton, take off the fat and skin, set it on the fire in a small tin saucepan that has a cover, with three-fourths of a pint of water, the meat being first beaten and cut in thin bits; put a bit of thyme and parsley, and, if approved, a slice of onion. Let it boil very quickly; skim it; take off the cover if likely to be too weak, else cover it. Half an hour is sufficient for the whole process.

Calf’s Feet Broth.—Boil two calf’s feet, two ounces of veal, and two of beef, the bottom of a penny loaf, two or three blades of mace, half a nutmeg sliced, and a little salt, in three quarts of water, to three pints; strain, and take off the fat.

Chicken Broth.—May be made of any young fowl, which is afterwards to be brought to table; but the best sort is to be procured from an old cock or hen, which is to be stewed down to rags, with a couple of onions, seasoned with salt and a little whole pepper; skim and strain it.

A Weaker Kind.—After taking off the skin and rump, put the body and legs of a fowl, from the white meat of which chicken panada has been made, into the water it was boiled in, with one blade of mace, one slice of onion, and ten white peppercorns. Simmer till the broth be of a pleasant flavour.

Beef Tea.—Cut half a pound of lean fresh beef into slices, lay it in a dish, and pour over it a pint of boiling water; cover the dish and let it stand half an hour by the fire, then just boil it up, pour it off clear, and salt it very little.

Veal Tea is made in the same way, and Chicken Tea also.

Another, to Drink Cold.—Take one pound of lean beef, clear it from every particle of skin, fat, or sinew, rasp or divide it into very small pieces; then put it into a jar, and pour a quart of boiling water upon it; plunge the jar into a kettle of boiling water, let it stand by the side of the fire, but not near enough to simmer, and allow it to grow cold. Then strain the beef tea through a muslin sieve, and, if the patient be very delicate, filter it through blotting-paper. This tea is to be taken when cold, and will remain upon the stomach when other nourishment fails; it may be given to infants.

Eggs.—An egg broken into a cup of tea, or beaten and mixed with a basin of milk, makes a breakfast more supporting than tea alone. An egg divided, and the yolk and white beaten separately, will afford two very wholesome draughts, and prove lighter than when taken together. Eggs very little boiled, or poached, taken in small quantities, convey much nourishment; the yolk only, when dressed, should be eaten by invalids.

Stew for Persons in Weak Health.—Cut veal into slices, and put them into an earthen jar, with sliced turnips, and a little salt; cover closely, set the jar up to the neck in boiling water, and stew till the meat is tender.