Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-01-11
Hints About Health.
HOW TO KEEP TIE FEET DRY.

We take the following suggestions from
Halls Journal of Health
Various expedients have been devised to
keep the dampness from the soles Of the feet.
Some advise that piece of sail cloth or 9TH
er woven material should be cut in the shape
Of the sole, dipped in melted pitch or tar,
and when cooled, placed between the layers of
the shoes sole and we'll sewed. If this is
carefully done it is impossible for any damp
ness to penetrate to the soles of the feet by
simply walking on damp ground; but in
walking in wet grass or the slosh Of snow
deep enough to reach the upper leather, this
device is no protection.
Another means of rendering the soles of
shoes impervious to dampness, and to pre-
vent their Speaking, is to set them in melted
tallow deep enough merely to cover the soles,
and let them remain week if it is in a mix
ture Of equal parts Of beeswax and tallow it
is still the better
A gentleman AYERS that from six years of
experience and trial, the soles of shoes are
not only made waterproof but will last three
times as long if coat of gum copal varnish
is applied to the soles and repeated as it dries,
until the pores Of the leather are filled, and
the surface shines like polished mahogany.
The soles of shoes may be made impervi-
GUS to water by rubbing the following mix
ture into the leather, until it is thoroughly
saturated: one pint Of boiled linseed oil; half
a pound of mutton suet; six ounces of pure
beeswax; four ounces of rosin. Melt these
over slow fire, stirring well, and when the
shoes are new, warm them and the mixture
also, and use.
Or, put pound each of rosin and tallow in
a pot on the fire, and when melted and mixed
apply while hot, with a painters brush, to
both soles and upper leather. Fit is desired
that the boots should take polish immedi-
ately, dissolve an ounce Of beeswax in tea
spoonful each of turpentine and lampblack,a
day or two after the boots have been treated
with the rosin and tallow, rub over them this
wax and turpentine, away from the fire.
Thus the exterior will have coat Of wax
alone, and will have bright polish. Tai
low and grease become rancid and rot the
stitching, and the leather also while the ros
in mixture preserves both.
One pint of The linseed OIL quarter of a
pint of turpentine or camphor, quarter of
a pound Of beeswax and quarter of pound
of Burgundy pitch Melt together with
gentle heat; warm it when it is to be used,
and rub it into the leather before the fire, Or
in the sun.
Or, melt together becswax and mutton suet
half, and half, and rub it where the stitches
are Gutta percha soles are preferred by
some. They may be attached thus: Dry
the old sole, roughen it we'll with a rasp, and
rub on with the finger thin, warm solution
Of gutta percha; Cry it, hold it to the fire,
and then rub on a coat of thicker solution
Take the gutta percha sole, soften it in hot
water, wipe it, and hold both sole and shoe
to the fire until warm lay the sole on grad
ually, beginning at the toe. In half an hour
pare it neatly with knife.
But it must be remembered that if you
make the upper leather Of a shoe water-tight
it is rendered mcasurably air-tight, and this
occasions dampness on the inside, creating
i'll odors and GOODNESS, while any kind Of oily
substance must not only rot the material but
cause nauscous smell.
To those who are forehanded, and have lei
sure, it is advised to purchase the shoes to be
worn in winter six months beforehand, and
wear them a little at time in warm weather
thus they become hardened before winter
sets in, and this hardening increases their du-
rability. But before they arc once worn in
the wet, the soles should he held to the fire
until they are we'll warmed; then warm 8
little tar in tin cup, and apply it with {
swab to the bottom of the shoe, but not ho
enough to burn the leather. then let it bt
well dried in before the fire. This will new
er work out while warming the feet; but Thu
tar should be applied the first Of each month
until May, if the boots are worn much in thu
wet This tar penetrates the sole to thu
eighth of an inch, and renders it almost a
hard as horn. Grease of any kind will soft
en- the leather and make it porous. With
out this tar application, the first wetting Q
the soles will contract them and make then
too small altogether.
If shoes are heated before fire they &c
hard and wear out very much sooner than
allowed to dry gradually in the upper part 0
the kitchen Or family room, farthest from tn
fire, or on shelf, or hung on nail.
yARNIsH FOR SHOES.
It is bad plan to grease the upper leath
er of shoes for the purpose Of keeping then
soft, it rots the leather and admits dampnes
more readily. 1t is better to glakea varnis
thus:
Put half pound Of gum shellac, brokc
up in small pieces, in quart bottle or jug
cover it with alcohol, cork it tight and put
on shelf in warm place; shake it we
several times day, then add piece Of gur
camphor as large as hens egg; shake
we'll and in few hours shake it again, an
add an ounce Of lampblack; if the alcohol
good, it will be dissolved in three days; the
shake and use. If it gets too thick, add al
cohol-pour out two or three teaspoonfuls i
, a saucer, and apply it with a small pain
brush. If the materials are all good it wi
dry in about five minutes, and will be re
moved only by wearing it off, giving CLOS
almost equal to patent leather.
The advantage Of this preparation aboy
others is that it does not strike into the leatl