Chapter XXV: Part 25

"Some of the large algae will not adhere to the paper, and
consequently require gumming. The following method of preserving
them has been communicated by a botanical friend:

'After well cleaning and pressing, brush the coarser kinds of
algae over with spirits of turpentine, in which two or three small
lumps of gum mastic have been dissolved, by shaking in a warm
place; two-thirds of a small phial is the proper proportion, and
this will make the specimens retain a fresh appearance.'"

_Miss Gifford's Marine Botanist_.

2338. To Preserve Fungi.

Receipt of the celebrated botanist, William Withering, by which
specimens of fungi may be beautifully preserved.

"Take two ounces of sulphate of copper, or blue vitriol, and reduce
it to powder; pour upon it a pint of boiling water; and when cold,
add half a pint of spirits of wine; cork it well, and call it 'the
pickle.' To eight pints of water, add one pint and a half of spirits
of wine, and call it 'the liquor.' Be provided with a number of
wide-mouthed bottles of different sizes, all well fitted with corks.
The fungi should be left on the table as long as possible, to allow
the moisture to evaporate; they should then he placed in the pickle
for three hours, or longer, if necessary; then place them in the
bottles intended for their reception, and fill with the liquor. They
should then be well corked and sealed, and arranged in order, with
their names in front of the bottles."

[TRUST NOT THE MAN WHO PROMISES WITH AN OATH.]

2339. To Stuff Birds, Quadrupeds, &c.

Large animals should be carefully skinned, with the horns, skull,
tail, hoofs, &c., entire. Then rub the inside of the skin thoroughly
with the mixture of salt, pepper, and alum, and hang up to dry. Large
birds may be treated in the same way, but should not be put into
spirits.

2340. Small Birds may be preserved as follows:

Take out the entrails, open a passage to the brain, which should be
scooped out through the mouth; introduce into the cavities of the
skull and the whole body, some of the mixture of salt, alum, and
pepper, putting some through the gullet and whole length of the neck;
then hang the bird in a cool, airy place--first by the feet, that the
body may be impregnated by the salt, and afterwards by a thread
through the under mandible of the bill, till it appears to be free
from smell; then hang it in the sun, or near a fire: after it is well
dried, clean out what remains loose of the mixture, and fill the
cavity of the body with wood, oakum, or any soft substance, and pack
it smooth in paper.

2341. Birds' Eggs.

In selecting eggs for a cabinet, always choose those which are newly
laid; make a medium-sized hole at the sharp end with a pointed
instrument, and one at the blunt end: let this last hole be as small
as possible; this done, apply your mouth to the blunt end, and blow
the contents through the sharp end. If the yolk will not come freely,
run a pin or wire up into the egg, and stir the yolk well about; now
get a cupful of water, and immersing the sharp end of the shell into
it, apply your mouth to the blunt end and suck up some of the water
into the empty shell; then put your finger and thumb upon the two
holes, shake the water well within, and after this, blow it out. The
water will clear the egg of any remains of yolk or of white which may
stay in after blowing. If one injection of water will not suffice,
make a second or third.

An egg, immediately after it is produced, is very clear and fine; but
by staying in the nest, and coming in contact with the feet of the
bird, it soon assumes a dirty appearance. To remedy this, wash it well
in soap and water, and use a nail-brush to get the dirt off. The
eggshell is now as it ought to be, and nothing remains to be done but
to prevent the thin white membrane (which is still inside) from
corrupting.

Take a wineglass and fill it with a solution of corrosive sublimate in
alcohol, then immerse the sharp end of the eggshell into it, keeping
the finger and thumb which hold the egg just clear of the solution.
Apply the mouth to the little hole at the blunt end, and suck up some
of the solution into the shell. There need be no fear of getting the
liquor into the mouth, for as soon as it rises in the shell the cold
will strike the finger and thumb, and then the sucking must be
immediately discontinued. Shake the shell in the same manner as when
the water was in it, and then blow the solution back into the glass.

The eggshell will now be beyond the reach of corruption; the membrane
for ever retains its pristine whiteness, and no insect, for the time
to come, will ever venture to prey upon it. If you wish your egg to
appear extremely brilliant, give it a coat of mastic varnish, put on
very sparingly with a camel-hair pencil: green or blue eggs must be
done with gum arabic, as the mastic varnish is apt to injure the
colour.

2342. Fishes.

Large fishes should be opened in the belly, the entrails taken out,
and the inside well rubbed with pepper, and stuffed with oakum. Small
fishes may be put in spirit, as well as reptiles, worms, and insects
(except butterflies and moths); insects of fine colours should be
pinned down in a box prepared for that purpose, with their wings
expanded.

2343. Tracing Paper.

Mix together by a gentle heat, one ounce of Canada balsam, and a
quarter of a pint of spirits of turpentine; with a soft brush spread
it thinly over one side of good tissue paper. The composition dries
quickly, is very transparent, and not greasy, and therefore, does not
stain the paper to which it is applied.

[NEVER WALK ONE WAY AND LOOK ANOTHER.]

2344. Impressions from Coins.

Melt a little isinglass glue with brandy, and pour it thinly over the
medal, &c., so as to cover its whole surface; let it remain on for a
day or two, till it has thoroughly dried and hardened, and then take
it off, when it will be fine, clear, and hard, and will present a very
elegant impression of the coin. It will also resist the effects of
damp air, which occasions all other kinds of glue to soften and bend
if not prepared in this way.

2345. Method of Hardening Objects in Plaster of Paris.

Take two parts of stearine, two parts of Venetian soap, one part of
pearlash, and twenty-four to thirty parts of a solution of caustic
potash. The stearine and soap are cut into slices, mixed with the cold
lye, and boiled for about half an hour, being constantly stirred.
Whenever the mass rises, a little cold lye is added. The pearlash,
previously moistened with a little rain water, is then added, and the
whole boiled for a few minutes. The mass is then stirred until cold,
when it is mixed with so much cold lye that it becomes perfectly
liquid, and runs off the spoon without coagulating and contracting.
Previously to using this composition, it should be kept for several
days well covered. It may be preserved for years.

Before applying it to the objects, they should be well dusted, the
stains scraped away, and then coated, by means of a thick brush, with
the wash, as long as the plaster of Paris absorbs it, and left to dry.
The coating is then dusted with leather, or a soft brush. If the
surface has not become shining, the operation must be repeated.

2346. Modelling.

Modelling in Cork, Gutta Percha, Leather, Paper, Plaster of Paris,
Wax, Wood, &c.--Modelling, in a general sense, signifies the art of
constructing an original pattern, which is to be ultimately carried
out on an enlarged scale, or copied exactly.

2347. Scale of Construction.

When models are constructed to give a miniature representation of any
great work, elevation, or topographical information, they are executed
in detail, with all the original parts in just and due proportions, so
that the work may be conducted or comprehended better; and if the
model is a scientific one, viz., relating to machinery, physical
science, &c., then it requires to be even still more accurate in its
details. In fact, all models should be constructed on a scale, which
should be appended to them, so that a better idea may be obtained of
the proportions and dimensions.

2348. Materials.

The materials used in modelling are plaster of Paris, wax, whiting,
putty, clay, pipeclay; common and factory cinders; sand of various
colours; powdered fluor-spar, oyster-shells, bricks, and slate; gums,
acacia and tragacanth; starch; paper, white and brown, cardboard and
millboard; cork sheets, cork raspings, and old bottle-corks; gutta
percha; leather and leather chips; wood; paints, oil, water, and
varnish; moss, lichen, ferns, and grass; talc, window and
looking-glass; muslin and net; chenille; carded wool; tow; wire; hay
and straw; various varnishes, glue, and cements.

2349. Tools.

The tools consist of brushes for paints, varnishes, and cements; two
or three bradawls; a sharp penknife; a chisel, hammer, and punches;
scissors and pencil.

2350. Caves.

Caves may be modelled readily in cork, wood, starch-paste, or cinders
covered with brown paper soaked in thin glue.

2351. To Construct Caves of Cinders.

Arrange the cinders, whether common or factory, in such a manner as to
resemble the intended design; then cover in such parts as require it
with brown paper soaked in thin glue until quite pulpy. When nearly
dry, dust over with sand, powdered brick, slate, and chopped lichen or
moss, from a pepper-box; touch up the various parts with either oil,
water, or varnish colours; and if necessary, form your trees of wire,
covered with brown paper and moss, glued on.

[BETTER GO ROUND THAN FALL INTO THE DITCH.]

2352. Cave Effect.

When a Cave is constructed in the above manner, on a large scale, and
the interior sprinkled with powdered fluor-spar or glass, the effect
is very good by candle-light.

2353. Stalactites.

Stalactites may be represented by rough pieces of wood, which must be
smeared with glue, and sprinkled with powdered fluor-spar, or glass.

2354. To Model Caves in Cork.

Construct the framework of wood, and fill up the outline with old
bottle-corks. The various projections, recesses, and other minutiae,
must be affixed afterwards with glue, after being formed of cork, or
hollowed out in the necessary parts, either by burning with a hot wire
and scraping it afterwards, or by means of a sharp-pointed bradawl.

2355. Small Trees.

If small cork models are constructed, the trees should be formed by
transfixing short pieces of shaded chenille with a fine wire (.), and
sticking them into the cork.

2356. Decoration.

Various parts of the model must be touched up with oil, water, or
varnish colours; and powdered brick, slate, and chopped lichen, or
moss, dusted on as usual.

2357. Wooden Models.

Wooden models are constructed roughly in deal, according to the proper
design, and the various fine parts afterwards affixed with glue or
brads.

2358. Finer Work in Wood.

In forming the finer parts of the wooden model, a vast amount of
unnecessary labour may be saved, and a better effect obtained, by
burning much of the outline, instead of carving it. By this plan,
deeper tones of colouring, facility of operating, and saving of time
and labour, are the result.

2359. Decorating Wooden Models.

In common with other models, those constructed of wood require the aid
of lichen, moss, powdered slate, &c., and colours, to complete the
effect.

2360. Water.

When water issues from the original cave, and it is desirable to copy
it in the model, a piece of looking glass should be glued on the
stand, and the edges surrounded by glue, and paper covered with sand.
Sometimes it is requisite to cut away the wood of the stand, so as to
let in the looking glass; this, however, is only when the water is
supposed to be much lower than the surface of the land.

2361. Starch-Paste Models.

Starch-paste models are formed in the usual way, of the following
composition:--Soak gum tragacanth in water, and when soft, mix it with
powdered starch till of a proper consistence. It is much improved by
adding some double-refined sugar finely powdered. When the model is
finished, it must be coloured correctly, and varnished with white
varnish, or left plain. This is the composition used by confectioners
for modelling the various ornaments on cakes.

2362. Ancient Cities.

Ancient cities may be constructed of cork or starch-paste, in the same
manner as directed above; bearing in mind the necessity for always
working models according to a scale, which should be afterwards
affixed to the stand of the model.

2363. Modern Cities.

Modern cities are better made of cardboard, starch-paste, or
pipe-clay; the houses, public buildings, and other parts being
constructed according to scale.

2364. Houses.

Houses should be cut out of a long thin strip of cardboard, partially
divided by three strokes of a penknife, and glued together; this must
afterwards be marked with a pencil, or pen and ink, to represent the
windows, doors, stones, &c.; and the roof--cut out of a piece of
square cardboard, equally and partially divided--is then to be glued
on, and the chimney--formed of a piece of lucifer match, or wood
notched at one end and flat at the other--is to be glued on, A square
piece of cardboard must be glued on the top of the chimney; a hole
made with a pin in the card and wood; and a piece of grey worsted,
thinned at the end, fixed into the hole for smoke.

[EXAMPLES DO NOT AUTHORIZE SINS.]

2365. Public Buildings.

Cathedrals, churches, and other public buildings are made in the same
way; but require the addition of small chips of wood, ends of lucifer
matches, cork raspings, or small pieces of cardboard, for the various
ornaments, if on a large scale, but only a pencil-mark if small.

2366. Starch-Paste or Pipeclay.

When constructed of starch-paste, or pipeclay, the material is rolled
flat on a table or marble slab, and the various sides cut out with a
sharp penknife; they are then gummed together, and coloured properly.

2367. Large Models.

If large models of houses or buildings are made, the windows are
constructed of talc or thin glass, covered with net or muslin. The
frames of the windows are made of cardboard, neatly cut out with a
sharp penknife.

2368. Countries.

Countries should be made of cork, because it is easier to work.
Although the starch-paste is very agreeable to model with, yet it is
liable to shrink, and therefore, when in the mass, one part dries
quicker than another, so that there is not equal contraction--a great
objection to its employment in accurate models. Cork, on the contrary,
may be easily cut into all forms, and from abounding with pores, it is
remarkably light--no little consideration to travellers.

2369. Topographical Models.

Topographical models may, however, be formed of plaster of Paris, but
the weight is an objection. A model of a country on a moderate
scale--say one-eighth of an inch to a square mile--with its mountains,
valleys, and towns, may be thus made:--A model having been first made
in clay, according to scale and plan, moulds should then be taken of
various parts in gutta percha, rendered soft by dipping it into hot
water, and the parts cast in paper cement.

2370. Paper Cement.

i. Reduce paper to a smooth paste by boiling it in water; then add
an equal weight each of sifted whiting and good size; boil to a
proper consistence, and use.

ii. Take equal parts of paper, paste, and size, sufficient
finely-powdered plaster of Paris to make into a good paste, and use
as soon as possible after it is mixed. This composition may be used
to cast architectural ornaments, busts, statues, &c., being very
light, and susceptible of a good polish, but it will not stand
weather.

2371. Other Parts.

The several mountains and other parts being formed, join them together
in their proper places with some of the No. i. paper cement, rendered
rather more fluid by the addition of a little thin glue. The towns are
made of a piece of cork, cut and scratched to the form of the town;
steeples of cardboard, and trees of blades of moss. Sand is sprinkled
in one part; looking-glass in others, for the lakes, bays, and rivers;
and green baize flock for the verdant fields.

2372. Monuments.

Monuments, ancient or modern, are better constructed of cork, on
account of the lightness and facility in working, more especially the
ancient ones.

2373. Ruins.

Ruins should be constructed of cork, according to the directions given
above, and when it is necessary to represent the mouldering walls
covered with moss or ivy, a little green baize flock, or moss
chippings, should be attached by mucilage to the part; and oftentimes
a brush of raw sienna, combined with varnish, requires to be laid
underneath the moss or flock, in order to improve the effect.
Prostrate columns and huge blocks are effectively represented in cork,
and should be neatly cut out with a sharp knife, and the various parts
supposed to be destroyed by age picked away with a pin or blunt knife
afterwards.

2374. Cities and Temples.

We will suppose that the model is to represent the Temple of Theseus
at Athens, which was built by Cimon, the son of Miltiades. In the
first place we must obtain the necessary dimensions, and then,
reducing the number of feet to fractional parts of an inch, form a
scale suitable for carrying out the whole. A piece of wood of the
necessary size is procured, the plan marked out in pencil, and the
ground on which it stands imitated in cork, by cutting away the parts
that are not required with a sharp penknife, and adding others with
glue.

The floor of the temple is now to be glued on with common glue, for we
should remark that the liquid glue does not dry quickly enough for
cork modelling, and is not so good as the old plan; the sides and ends
are formed of cork sheets, marked with a lead pencil to represent the
blocks of stone; and ruined and broken parts imitated, by pricking the
cork with a blunt penknife or needle. The frieze, representing the
battle between the Centaurs and Lapithæ and the metopes in
mezzo-relievo, containing a mixture of the labours of Hercules and
Theseus, should be drawn upon the sheets of cork according to scale,
and coloured with a little lampblack and raw sienna, to represent the
subject intended, if the scale is small; but if the model admits of
it, the groups may be neatly carved with a sharp penknife from the
cork, which has been previously outlined with pencil.

The next thing we shall have to do is to strengthen the interior of
the model, and this is done by glueing small pieces of cork, at
irregular intervals, at the angles formed by the junction of any
parts; these are put on the inside, and lastly, the roof is affixed.
Any parts that require to be coloured, may be touched up with varnish
or water colours, and lichen, &c., affixed with mucilage where it is
requisite.

2375. To Model from Living Objects.

We will imagine that the reader desires to model the features of some
friend, and as there is some difficulty in the matter, on account of
the person operated upon having a natural tendency to distort the
features when the liquid plaster is poured upon the face, and some
danger of suffocation if the process is not well managed, we will
proceed at once to describe the various stages of operating:

2376. Procedure (1).

Mix the plaster of paris with warm water, and have it about as thick
as cream, but do not mix it until all is ready. Lay the person upon
his back, and having raised his head to the natural position when
walking, by means of a pillow of bran or sand, cover the parts
intended to be cast with oil of almonds or olives, applied by means of
a feather, brush, or lump of cotton: plug the ears with cotton or
wool, and insert two quills into the nostrils, and plug the space
between each quill and the nostril very carefully with cotton.

2377. Procedure (2).

Cover the face with the plaster, beginning at the upper part of the
forehead, and spread it downwards over the eyes, which should be kept
_firmly_ closed, but not in such a manner as to produce any distortion
by too violent compression--and continue the plaster as far as the
lower border of the chin; cover that part of the chest and arms that
is to be represented, and carry the plaster upwards, so as to join the
cast of the face; then carefully remove each, and season for casting,
by soaking or brushing with linseed oil boiled with sugar of lead or
licharge. Some persons boil the moulds in the oil; and many, instead
of casting the face in one piece, and the chest in another, lay
threads across the face and up and down it, leaving the ends out. As
the plaster sets, or is nearly set, the threads are pulled through, so
as to divide the cast into four, five, or more pieces.

2378. Procedure (3).

The back part of the head is moulded by having an oval trencher sort
of vessel, deeper than half the head, and generally made of plaster,
and boiled in oil. The back of the head being oiled, and this trencher
partially filled with liquid plaster of Paris, the head is lowered
into it, and the cast taken. The back of the neck is cast with the
person turned over on his face.

2379. Procedure (4).

Each part of the mould is marked so as to secure accurate junction
with the adjoining part or parts; sometimes with a x or ||, which,
passing over the junction of two pieces, serves to distinguish them.

2380. Procedure (5).

To model the face, join the several pieces, and tie them together with
twine; then wrap some rag round the joints, to prevent the plaster
oozing out, and pour in the plaster, made tolerably fluid, taking care
to oil the inside of the mould very carefully first. When the outer
part of the mould is nearly set, scoop out the centre with a spoon,
and let the whole dry; then remove the strings, &c., and smooth off
the edges of the joints upon the model with a sharp penknife, and
carve out the eyes from the mass, otherwise they will appear as if
closed.

2381. Wax Models.

Wax models may be made from the moulds used for the plaster; but when
the wax sets at the outside to about one-eighth of an inch, the rest
should be poured out of the mould; or, a smaller portion being poured
in, it may be shaken about the inside of the mould until it is coated.
The pieces are removed, and the seams trimmed up, as in the plaster
cast.

2382. Making a Cast.

If a cast be made in Gutta Percha from the model in plaster--or, what
is still better, in fusible metal,--then, by pressing basil leather,
moistened with water, into the mould, and strengthening the back and
centre with chips of wood affixed by liquid glue, a very nice model
may be obtained in leather, which, when varnished, will look like oak
carving--especially if it be stained with Stephens's Oak Stain.

2383. Rustic-Work Seats.

Rustic-work seats, &c., may be constructed of wire twisted to the
proper shape and size, and then covered with gutta percha, rendered
soft by being dipped in hot water. The gutta percha should be twisted
round the wire previously warmed, and gently heated over a spirit
lamp, or dipped again into hot water, so as to allow the various parts
to be covered with it. When the model is finished, it should be
touched up here and there with oil colours--green, yellow, sienna, and
Venetian red--according to fancy, and the effect produced will be very
good.

2384. Dr. Clark's Pills for Nervous Headache.

Socotine aloes, powdered rhubarb, of each one drachm; compound powder
of cinnamon, one scruple; hard soap, half a drachm; syrup enough to
form the mass. To be divided into fifty pills, of which two will be
sufficient for a dose; to be taken occasionally.

2385. Pains in the Head and Face.

A severe attack of tic-doulou-reux is said to have been cured by the
following simple remedy:--Take half a pint of rose water, add two
teaspoonfuls 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
at each application; this will, in two or three days, gradually take
the pain away.

2386. Sore Throat.

Those subject to sore throat will find the following preparation
simple, cheap, and 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 is pleasant to the taste, and if
swallowed, contains nothing to render it dangerous in any way.

2387. Deafness.

It is now considered injurious to use water for the ear in cases of
ear complaint. Pure glycerine has been found to act most beneficially
as a solvent. In some forms of ear complaint powdered borax, as a
constituent of the "drops" to be used has been found useful, and
tannic acid in other forms. Carbolic acid mixed with glycerine is
used when a disinfectant is necessary. So delicate, however, is the
structure of the internal ear that in all cases it is desirable to
consult a medical practitioner.

[ONE IS NOT SO SOON HEALED AS HURT.]

2388. A Cure for Weak and Sore Eyes.

Sulphate of zinc, three grains; tincture of opium, ten drops; water,
two ounces. To be applied three or four times a day.

2389. Squinting.

Squinting frequently arises from the unequal strength of the eyes, the
weaker eye being turned away from the object, to avoid the fatigue of
exertion. Cases of squinting of long standing have often been cured by
covering the stronger eye, and thereby compelling the weaker one to
exertion.

2390. Pills for Gout and Rheumatism.

Acetic extract of colchicum, two grains; powdered ipecacuanha, four
grains; compound extract of colocynth, half a drachm; blue pill, four
grains. Divide into twelve pills; one to be taken night and morning.

2391. Gout Mixture.

Wine of colchicum, one ounce; spirit of nitrous ether, one ounce;
iodide of potassium, two scruples; distilled water, two ounces. A
teaspoonful of this mixture to be taken in camomile tea two or three
times a day.

2392. Mixture for Rheumatic Gout or Acute Rheumatism.

Half an ounce of nitre (saltpetre), half an ounce of sulphur, half an
ounce of flour of mustard, half an ounce of Turkey rhubarb, quarter of
an ounce of powdered gum guaiacum. A teaspoonful to be taken in a
wineglassful of cold water, every other night for three nights, and
omit three nights. The water should have been well boiled.

2393. To Arrest Bleeding at the Nose.

Introduce, by means of a probe, a small piece of lint or soft cotton,
previously dipped into some mild styptic, as a solution of alum,
Friar's balsam, solution of blue stone, or even cold water. This will
generally succeed; but should it not, cold water may be snuffed up the
nostrils. Should the bleeding be very profuse, medical advice should
be procured. In cases of hæmorrhage of a severe character, Ruspini's
styptic is most beneficial, and may be recommended.

2394. Biting the Nails.

This is a habit that should be immediately corrected in children, as,
if persisted in for any length of time, it permanently deforms the
nails. Dipping the finger-ends in some bitter tincture will generally
prevent children from putting them into their mouth; but if this
fails, as it sometimes will, each finger-end ought to be encased in a
stall until the propensity is eradicated.

2395. To Prevent Galling in Invalids.

The white of an egg beaten to a strong froth; then drop in gradually,
whilst you are beating, two teaspoonfuls of spirits of wine; put it
into a bottle, and apply occasionally with a feather.

2396. Jaundice.

One penny-worth of allspice, ditto of flowers of brimstone, ditto of
turmeric; these to be well pounded together, and afterwards to be
mixed with half a pound of treacle. Two tablespoonfuls to be taken
every day.

2397. Convulsions.

The following remarkable case, in which a surgeon saved the life of an
infant in convulsions, by the use of chloroform, will be read with
interest. He commenced the use of it at nine o'clock one evening, at
which period the child was rapidly sinking, numerous remedies having
been already tried without effect. He dropped half a drachm of
chloroform into a thin muslin handkerchief, and held it about an inch
from the infant's face. In about two minutes the convulsions gave way,
and the child fell into a sleep. By slightly releasing the child from
the influence of the chloroform, he was able to administer food, by
which the child was nourished and strengthened. The chloroform was
continually administered, in the manner described, from Friday evening
at nine o'clock until Monday morning at nine. This treatment lasted
sixty hours, and sixteen ounces of chloroform were used. No injurious
effects, however trivial from the treatment adopted, subsequently
appeared.

[HIDE THY DOMESTIC WOUNDS.]

2398. Asthma.

The following is recommended as a relief:--Two ounces of the best
honey, and one ounce of castor oil, mixed. A teaspoonful to be taken
night and morning.

2399. Coughs.

It is said that a small piece of resin dipped in the water which is
placed in a vessel on a stove (not an open fireplace), will add a
peculiar property to the atmosphere of the room which will give great
relief to persons troubled with a cough. The heat of the stove is
sufficient to throw off the aroma of the resin, and gives the same
relief that is afforded by the combustion, because the evaporation is
more durable. The same resin may be used for weeks.

2400. For a Cough.

Syrup of poppies, oxymel of squills, simple oxymel, in equal parts,
mixed, and a teaspoonful taken when the cough is troublesome. It is
best to have it made up by a chemist. The cost is trifling.

2401. A Mixture for a Bad Cold and Cough.

Solution of acetate of ammonia, two ounces; ipecacuanha wine, two
drachms; antimony wine, two drachms; solution of muriate of morphine,
half a drachm; treacle, four drachms; water, add eight ounces. Two
tablespoonfuls to be taken three times a day.

2402. Pills for a Bad Cough.

Compound ipecacuanha powder, half a drachm; fresh dried squills, ten
grains; ammoniacum, ten grains; sulphate of quinine, six grains;
treacle, sufficient quantity to make a mass. Divide into twelve pills;
one to be taken night and morning.

2403. Whooping 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 a fourth part of a tablespoonful four times a day; two years
old, half a spoonful; from four years, a tablespoonful. Great care is
required in the administration of medicines to infants.

2404. Roche's Embrocation for Whooping Cough.

Olive oil, two ounces; oil of amber, one ounce; oil of cloves, one
drachm. Mix: to be rubbed on the chest at bedtime.

2405. Offensive Breath.

For this purpose, almost the only substance that should be admitted at
the toilette is the concentrated solution of chloride of soda, from
six to ten drops of it in a wineglassful of pure spring water, taken
immediately after the operations of the morning are completed. In some
cases, the odour arising from carious teeth is combined with that of
the stomach. If the mouth be well rinsed with a teaspoonful of the
solution of the chloride in a tumbler of water, the bad odour of the
teeth will be removed.

2406. Breath tainted by Onions.

Leaves of parsley, eaten with vinegar, will prevent the disagreeable
consequences of eating onions.

2407. Mixture for Indigestion.

Infusion of calumba, six ounces; carbonate of potass, one drachm.
Compound tincture of gentian, three drachms. _Dose,_ two or three
tablespoonfuls daily at noon.

2408. Ointment for Sore Nipples.

Take of tincture of tolu, two drachms; spermaceti ointment, half an
ounce; powdered gum, two drachms. Mix these materials well together
to make an ointment. The white of an egg mixed with brandy is the best
application for sore nipples; the person should at the same time use a
nipple shield.

2409. Ointment for the Piles, or Hæmorrhoids.

Take of good lard, four ounces; camphor, two drachms; powdered galls,
one ounce; laudanum, half an ounce. Apply the ointment made with these
ingredients every night at bed-time.

2410. Ointment for Broken Chilblains or Chapped Hands, &c.

Sweet oil, one pint; Venice turpentine, three ounces; hog's-lard, half
a pound; bees'-wax, three ounces. Put all into a pipkin over a slow
fire, and stir it with a wooden spoon till the bee's wax is all
melted, and the ingredients simmer. It is fit for use as soon as cold,
but the longer it is kept the better it will be. It must be spread
very thin on soft rag, or (for chaps or cracks) rubbed on the hands
when you go to bed.

[AN ACT IS BETTER THAN A WORD.]

2411. Camphor Balls to prevent Chaps.

Melt three drachms of spermaceti, four drachms of white wax, with one
ounce of almond oil, and stir in three drachms of camphor (previously
powdered by moistening it with a little spirits of wine); pour small
quantities into small gallipots, so as to turn out in the form of
cakes.

2412. Cramp in Bathing.

For the cure of the cramp when swimming, Dr. Franklin recommends a
vigorous and violent shock of the part affected, by suddenly and
forcibly stretching out the leg, which should be darted out of the
water into the air if possible.

2413. 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.

2414. Hiccough or Hiccup.

This is a spasm of the diaphragm, caused by flatulency, indigestion,
or acidity. It may be relieved by the sudden application of cold, also
by two or three mouthfuls of cold water, by eating a small piece of
ice, taking a pinch of snuff, or anything that excites counteraction.

2415. Scratches.

Trifling as scratches often seem, they ought never to be neglected,
but should be covered and protected, and kept clean and dry, until
they have completely healed. If there is the least appearance of
inflammation, no time should be lost in applying a large
bread-and-water or linseed-meal poultice, or hot flannels may be
repeatedly applied. Leeches should be applied only when ordered by a
medical man, as in some cases erysipelas may be the consequence.

2416. Ring-worm.

The head should be washed twice a day with soft soap and warm soft
water, and when dry the places should be rubbed with a piece of linen
rag dipped in ammonia from gas tar. The patient should take a little
sulphur and treacle, or some other gentle aperient, every morning.
Brushes and combs should be washed every day, and the ammonia kept
tightly corked.

2417. Ointment for Scurf in the Heads of Infants.

Lard, two ounces; sulphuric acid, diluted, two drachms; rub them
together, and anoint the head once a day.

2418. Scurf in the Head.

Into a pint of water drop a lump of fresh quicklime, the size of a
walnut; let it stand all night, then pour the water off clear from
sediment or deposit, add a quarter of a pint of the best vinegar, and
wash the head with the mixture, which is perfectly harmless, and forms
a simple and effectual remedy.

2419. To Restore Hair when removed by Ill-health or Age.

Rub onions frequently on the part requiring it. The stimulating powers
of this vegetable are of service in restoring the tone of the skin,
and assisting the capillary vessels in sending forth new hair; but it
is not infallible. Should it succeed, however, the growth of these new
hairs may be assisted by the oil of myrtle-berries, the repute of
which, perhaps, is greater than its real efficacy. Even if they do no
good, these applications are harmless.

2420. Baldness.

The decoction of boxwood, which has been found successful in some
cases of baldness, is thus made:--Take of the common box, which grows
in garden borders, stems and leaves four large handfuls; boil in three
pints of water, in a closely covered vessel, for a quarter of an hour,
and let it stand in a covered earthenware jar for ten hours or more;
strain, and add an ounce and a half of eau-de-Cologne or
lavender-water, to make it keep. The head should be well washed with
this solution every morning.

[NEVER QUIT CERTAINTY FOR HOPE.]

2421. Lotion for the Cure and Prevention of Baldness.

Eau-de-Cologne, two ounces; tincture of cantharides, two drachms; oil
of rosemary, oil of nutmeg, and oil of lavender, each ten drops. To be
rubbed on the bald part of the head every night.

2422. Remedy for Rheumatism, Lumbago, Sprains, Bruises, Chilblains, 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 mixture should not be used for broken chilblains.

2423. 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 should be kept in a horizontal position by placing it on
a chair.

2424. Remedy for Blistered Feet.

Rub the feet, on going to bed, with spirits mixed with tallow, dropped
from a lighted candle into the palm of the hand.

2425. Boils.

These should be brought to a head by warm poultices of camomile
flowers, or boiled white lily root, or onion root; by fermentation
with hot water, or by stimulating plasters. When perfectly ripe and
ready to break, they may be discharged by a needle or the lancet.

_Constitutional treatment:_--Peruvian bark, and port wine, and
sea-bathing are desirable. Gentle purgatives should be given
occasionally.

2426. Bunions.

Bunions may be checked in their early development by binding the joint
with adhesive plaster, and keeping it on as long as any uneasiness is
felt. The bandaging should be perfect, and it might be well to extend
it round the foot. An inflamed bunion should be poulticed, and larger
shoes be worn. Iodine, twelve grains; lard or spermaceti ointment,
half an ounce, makes a capital ointment for bunions. It should be
rubbed on gently twice or thrice a day.

2427. Cure of Warts.

The easiest way to get rid of warts is to pare off the thickened skin
which covers the prominent wart; cut it off by successive layers;
shave it till you come to the surface of the skin, and till you draw
blood in two or three places. When you have thus denuded the surface
of the skin, rub the part thoroughly over with _lunar caustic_. One
effective operation of this kind will generally destroy the wart; if
not, cut off the black spot which has been occasioned by the caustic,
and apply the caustic again, or _acetic acid_ may be applied in order
to get rid of it.

2428. Corns (1).

Any remedy for these painful growths, to be effectual, must include
removal of the usual cause--pressure by tight or ill-fitting boots.
Strong acetic acid may be used, but great care is necessary in
applying it, to avoid burning the adjacent parts. _Soft corns_ may be
cured by extract of lead.

2429. Corns (2).

A very good remedy for corns is that known as "Celandine," which is
harmless and easily applied. Any chemist will supply it.

2430. To Cure 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 is consequently always left in the
wound; that of a wasp is pointed only, so that the latter insect can
sting more than once, which a bee cannot do. When stung by a bee, let
the sting 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 he 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.

2431. A Cure for Bee Stings, etc.

Among other simple remedies for this purpose, rubbing the part
affected with sweet oil, the juice of onion, or the blue bag used in
washing, slightly moistened, will be found efficacious.

2432. Nettle Stings.

The sting of a nettle may be cured by rubbing the part with rosemary,
mint, or sage leaves. Dock leaves are also said to supply an effectual
remedy.

2433. Arnica for Bites.

A correspondent of the _Times_ says:

"Noticing in your paper an account of the death of a man from the
bite of a cat, I beg to trouble you with the following case, which
occurred to myself about three weeks ago:--I took a strange dog
home, which produced consternation among the cats. One of them I
took up, to effect a reconciliation between her and the dog. In her
terror, she bit me so severely on the first finger of the left hand,
as not only to cause four of the teeth of her lower jaw to enter the
flesh, but so agonizing was her bite that the pressure of her palate
caused the finger to swell at the joint on the opposite side to
where the lower teeth entered the finger. In a minute or two the
pain was about as excruciating as anything I ever felt--certainly
greater than I have suffered from a wound. I got some tincture of
arnica, diluted with about twelve times the quantity of water, and
proceeded to bathe the finger well with it. In about half a minute
the blood began to flow freely, the pain ceased, and the swelling
abated, and up to this moment I have had no further inconvenience or
pain, not even soreness."

2434. Cure for Burns.

Of all applications for a burn, there are none equal to a simple
covering of common _wheat flour_. This is always at hand; and while it
requires no skill in using, it produces most astonishing effects. The
moisture produced upon the surface of a slight or deep burn is at once
absorbed by the flour, and forms a paste which shuts out the air. As
long as the fluid matters continue flowing, they are absorbed, and
prevented from producing irritation, as they would do if kept from
passing off by oily or resinous applications, while the greater the
amount of those absorbed by the flour, the thicker the protective
covering. Another advantage of the flour covering is, that next to the
surface it is kept moist and flexible. It can also be readily washed
off, without further irritation in removing. It may occasionally be
washed off very carefully, when the crust that it forms has become
dry, and a new covering be sprinkled on.

2435. Remedy for Burns and Scalds.

Take chalk and linseed, or common olive oil, and mix them in such
proportions as will produce a compound as thick as thin honey; then
add vinegar so as to reduce it to the thickness of treacle; apply with
a soft brush or feather, and renew the application from time to time.
Each renewal brings fresh relief, and a most grateful coolness. If the
injury is severe, especially if it involve the chest, give ten drops
of laudanum to an adult, and repeat it in an hour, and again a third
time. To a child of ten years give, in like manner, only three drops,
but beware of giving any to an infant. This plan with an internal
stimulant, according to age, as brandy, or salvolatile, or both,
should be at once adopted, until the arrival of the medical attendant.

2436. Lime-Water.

Lime-water beaten up with sweet oil is an excellent application for
burns.

2437. Pitting in Small Pox.

The following is a simple process that has been adopted most
successfully, not only in cases of small pox, in which it completely
prevented pitting, but in all eruptive diseases generally, such as
measles, scarlatina, nettlerash, chicken pox, &c., relieving the
itching, tingling, and irritation of those complaints, and thereby
affording great relief, especially in the case of children. It
consists in smearing the whole surface of the body, after the eruption
is fairly out, with bacon fat; and the simplest way of employing it is
to boil thoroughly a small piece of bacon with the skin on, and when
cold to cut off the skin with the fat adhering to it, which is to be
scored crosswise with a knife, and then gently rubbed over the surface
once, twice, or thrice a day, according to the extent of the eruption
and the recurrence of itching and irritation.

Another plan, practised by Dr. Allshorn, of Edinburgh, is to mix three
parts of oil with one of white wax, by heat, and while warm and fluid
to paint over the face and neck with a camel-hair brush. As this cools
and hardens it forms a mask, which effectually excludes the air, and
prevents pitting. It is said that if light is admitted into the
patient's room through yellow blinds, so that the red and blue rays of
the sun are excluded, pitting will be prevented.

2438. Cutaneous Eruptions.

The following mixture is very useful in all cutaneous eruptions:
Ipecacuanha wine, four drachms; flowers of sulphur, two drachms:
tincture of cardamoms, one ounce. Mix: one teaspoonful to be taken
three times a day, in a wineglassful of water.

2439. Wash for a Blotched Face.

Rose water, three ounces: sulphate of zinc, one drachm. Mix; wet the
face with it, gently dry it, and then touch it over with cold cream,
which also dry gently off.

2440. Freckles.

To disperse them, take one ounce of lemon juice, a quarter of a drachm
of powdered borax, and half a drachm of sugar; mix, and let them stand
a few days in a glass bottle till the liquor is fit for use, then rub
it on the hands and face occasionally.

2441. To Remove Freckles.

Dissolve, in half an ounce of lemon juice, one ounce of Venice soap,
and add a quarter of an ounce each of oil of bitter almonds, and
deliquated oil of tartar. Place this mixture in the sun till it
acquires the consistency of ointment. When in this state add three
drops of the oil of rhodium and keep it for use. Apply it to the face
and hands in the manner following:--Wash the parts at night with
elder-flower water, then anoint with the ointment. In the morning
cleanse the skin by washing it copiously in rose water.

2442. Wash for Sunburn.

Take two drachms of borax, one drachm of Roman alum, one drachm of
camphor, half an ounce of sugar candy, and a pound of ox-gall. Mix and
stir well for ten minutes or so, and repeat this stirring three or
four times a day for a fortnight, till it appears clear and
transparent. Strain through blotting-paper, and bottle up for use.

2443. Teething.

Young children, whilst cutting their first set of teeth, often suffer
severe constitutional disturbance. At first there is restlessness and
peevishness, with slight fever, but not unfrequently these are
followed by convulsive fits, as they are commonly called, which are
caused by the brain becoming irritated; and sometimes under this
condition the child is either cut off suddenly, or the foundation of
serious mischief to the brain is laid.

The remedy, or rather the safeguard against these frightful
consequences, is trifling, safe, and almost certain, and consists
merly in lancing the gum covering the tooth which is making its way
through. When teething is about it may be known by the spittle
constantly drivelling from the mouth and wetting the frock. The child
has its fingers often in its mouth, and bites hard any substance it
can get hold of. If the gums be carefully looked at, the part where
the tooth is pressing up is swollen and redder than usual; and if the
finger be pressed on it the child shrinks and cries, showing that the
gum is tender.

When these symptoms occur, the gum should be lanced, and sometimes the
tooth comes through the next day, if near the surface; but if not so
far advanced the cut heals and a scar forms, which is thought by some
objectionable, as rendering the passage of the tooth more difficult.
This, however, is not so, for the scar will give way much more easily
than the uncut gum. If the tooth do not come through after two or
three days, the lancing may be repeated; and this is more especially
needed if the child be very fractious, and seems in much pain.

Lancing the gums is further advantageous, because it empties the
inflamed part of its blood, and so relieves the pain and inflammation.
The relief children experience in the course of two or three hours
from the operation is often very remarkable, as they almost
immediately become lively and cheerful.

[CONTENTMENT WILL BOTH CLOTHE AND FEED.]

2444. Cure for Toothache.

Two or three drops of essential oil of cloves put upon a small piece
of lint or cotton wool, and placed in the hollow of the tooth, will be
found to have the active power of curing the toothache without
destroying the tooth or injuring the gums.

2445. Gutta Percha Tooth-Stopping.

Since the introduction of gutta-percha, the use of metallic
succedaneum for filling decayed teeth has been superseded, especially
in cases where the cavities are large. The gutta-percha is inodorous,
cheap, and can be renewed as often as required. It is only necessary
to soften it by warmth, either by holding it before a fire, or
immersing it in boiling water. Succedaneum is best when the decayed
spots are very small.

2446. Succedaneum.

Take an old silver thimble, an old silver coin, or other silver
article, and with a very fine file convert it into filings. Sift
through gauze, to separate the coarse from the fine particles. Take
the finer portion, and mix with sufficient quicksilver to form a stiff
amalgam, and while in this state fill the cavaties of decayed teeth.
This is precisely the same as the metallic amalgam used by all
dentists.

_Caution_.--As it turns black under the action of the acids of the
mouth, it should be used sparingly for _front_ teeth. A tooth should
never be filled while it is aching.

2447. Rose Lipsalve.

i. Oil of almonds, three ounces; alkanet, half an ounce. Let them
stand together in a warm place, then strain. Melt one ounce and a
half of white wax and half an ounce of spermaceti with the oil; stir
it till it begins to thicken, and add twelve drops of otto of roses.

ii. White wax, one ounce; almond oil, two ounces; alkanet, one
drachm; digest in a warm place, stir till sufficiently coloured,
strain and stir in six drops of otto of roses.

2448. Ventilating Bedrooms.