The following remedies are for diseases which occur in almost every
family, and have been proved to be useful in a number of instances. As
most old housekeepers have their favorite recipes, it is for the young
and inexperienced these are particularly intended, and may be used with
safety, when a physician is not at hand.
Remarks upon a Deeply Seated Cough.
It is very important to begin in time with a cold. Consumption is
sometimes prevented by very simple remedies. To put Burgundy pitch
plasters on the breast and back of the neck, often has a good
effect; they should be re-spread frequently, and when one part is
irritated, change them to another place. Put one on your side if you
have a pain there.
Flannel should be put on next the skin by all means, which, with the
above simple remedies, will cure a cold, if begun with in time.
I have frequently known new flannel put on those that usually wore it,
greatly to benefit a delicate person. The increased irritation of the
new flannel acts on the pores of the skin and promotes circulation. Hair
soles worn in the shoe, or socks made of flannel, or soft buckskin worn
under the stockings, are very good to keep the feet warm and dry.
Persons predisposed to consumption should have nourishing food, and not
eat too much at a time; they should avoid strong tea or coffee, and
drink milk. Eggs, oysters, fresh fish and fowls, are very good for them.
Fruit of all kinds is useful.
They should take exercise in the air, particularly riding on horse-back,
or take a short walk, but not so as to be fatigued; to work moderately
in a garden, when the ground is not too damp, is good exercise for a
delicate person; the smell of fresh earth, and of flowers, is beneficial
to both body and mind. After taking exercise, a glass of lemonade is
very refreshing, and promotes appetite.
If there should be perspiration at night, change the sheets and
pillow-cases frequently, and the under garments; air the chamber and
bed-clothes every day; if the weather is too damp to raise the windows,
shake up the bed, and leave it unmade half of the day, and put it out in
the sun occasionally.
By all means avoid strong medicine, or any thing that has a tendency to
weaken the body.
Sometimes blisters are used with very good effect; also, rubbing the
breast and back with camphor or spirits, or with a piece of dry flannel.
Taking anodyne drops, particularly laudanum, should be avoided, if
possible; they may still the cough during the night, but it will come on
with increased violence in the morning; they weaken the stomach,
increase the fever, and sometimes cause delirium.
Everything that tends to excite or irritate the mind, should be kept
from them. It is very important to talk cheerfully to sick persons,
particularly if confined to their chamber, which can be done without
lightness or trifling.
If they see gloomy faces around them, it has a very disheartening
effect; and, if the mind sinks, such is its intimate connection with the
body, that it is hard to raise it.
I have known persons by judicious management to live for many years,
after it was thought they were in a deep decline, by avoiding weakening
medicines, taking exercise on horse-back and on foot, and never
indulging in a full meal.
Sometimes such persons have very good appetites, and it is a
satisfaction to their friends to see them eat heartily; but they should
eat something frequently, rather than over-load the stomach too much.
When they come in hungry from a ride, to beat up an egg with a
tea-spoonful of wine, and a little sugar and nutmeg put in a tumbler
with some milk, and taken with a cracker or biscuit, or a piece of thin
toast broken up in it, has a very strengthening effect.
Persons are seldom benefitted by a strict diet, but it is sometimes
enforced till they lose their appetite and cannot eat.
If the weather is so that exercise cannot be taken out of doors, some
method should be devised for taking it in the house. Rubbing furniture
and playing battle-door, are good exercise for a female, but should not
be taken too much at a time.
Men that are confined to the house are sometimes very much at a loss
what to do; if such would purchase a few tools, and appropriate a spare
room as a workshop, it would promote their health. I have known men that
were but little acquainted with the use of tools, do many useful and
ornamental pieces of work, that were greatly valued by their friends;
and the exertion kept their spirits from sinking, when the weather was
too inclement to take exercise in the open air.
For a Cough.
Take a wine glass of the juice of the green hoarhound, or if that cannot
be obtained, a strong decoction from the dry herb will answer; mix it in
half a pint of new milk, sweetened either with sugar or honey; take this
half an hour before breakfast. It has been known to cure obstinate
coughs, and persons that have taken it for four weeks or more, have
gained strength and flesh, and the pain in the breast was relieved.
Flannel should be worn.
Elecampane and Hoarhound Syrup.
Put a pint of hoarhound in a quart of water, and let it draw by the
fire; put a tea-cupful of dried elecampane root in a pint of water,
cover it close, and let it boil till all the strength is out; strain it
and the hoarhound together, and put them to boil with a pound of sugar;
when it is a rich syrup, pour it in a pitcher to cool, and bottle it.
Take a table-spoonful at a time when the cough is troublesome. Sometimes
flaxseed is a useful addition to this syrup.
Brown Mixture for a Cough.
Take of paregoric, liquorice and gum arabic, each an ounce, from fifty
to one hundred drops of antimonial wine and two gills of hot water; mix
them well together, and when cold, bottle, and cork it tight; take two
tea-spoonsful at a time; if it should nauseate, give a smaller
quantity. If this produce profuse perspiration avoid going in the air
unless well wrapped up. This has been useful in the latter stages of
the whooping cough.