The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-08-30
Practical Hints for Summer.


Mosquitoes can be driven away from
rooms by the smoke Of insect powder,
burnt on hot shovel When il Is not
easy to get FIRE, put a bit of gum camphor
10 shovel, light, and the gum will catch
as quickly as alchohol; then sprinkle
tablespoonful Of insect powder (pyrethrum)
on the fame, let It take & &. and blow out
the blaze, close the windows, and let the
smoke rise for five minutes. 1t will not
lnjure the walls or furniture, and does not
harm human beings, though obnoxious TO
insects. Hanging cloth on which tea.
spoonful Of carbolic acid is poured, at the
head Of the bed, win keep mosquitoes
away, and the writer has repeatedly gained
a good nights sleep by this means when
others failed. Take care to place the cloth
or sponge 80 that there is no danger
Of touching it with face or hands III tho
night, as the acid burns like caustic.
Il Is not generally known, as it ought
to be, that the remedy for burns by car
bolic acid is Canada fr balsm, spread on
the part attacked.
A wash Of Is or 20 drops Of common
earbolic acid in half pint of water win
immediately relieve the smart Of mosquito
bites, hives, priekly heat, and AZ irritations
Of the skin common in summer. AS the
strength of carbolie acid commonly sold
varies, the dilution should be tested before
using BY wetting small spot Of skin. If
It causes any burning in moment or SO,
1t Is too strong, and more water should be
added. The lotion was recommended by
city physician as in use at Bellevue Hos
pital, and years Of experience proved lis
benefit. Many restless nights and much
suffering of children might be avoided by
this simple cure, which has been safely
used on very young infants.
The tortures which babiea have to nm.
dergo are 50 many aud so pitiful, and Wis
tied impartially on all above them in travel
and at home; so many ailing, miserable
little creatures are to be seen on the cara
and ferryboats, taken out by their dis
tracted mothers for change Of air, that l
feel it will be giving general relief to tell the
advice Of hospital physician, which prov
ed an entire success in my own family.
The pain Of teethiug may be almost done
away with, and the health Of the child
benefited, by giving it fine splinters Of ice,
picked off with pin, to melt in its mouth.
The fragment is SO small that il is but a
drop Of warm water before it can be swal-
lowed, and the child has all the GOODNESS
for its feyered gums, without the slightest
injury. The ayidity with which the little
r things taste the cooling morsel, the instant
quiet which succeeds hours Of ffetfulness
and the sleep which follows the relief, are
the best witness to this magic remedy
|. Ice may be fed to three months child
e this way, each splinter being no larger
; than common pin, for Eve or ten minutes
i the result being that it has swallowed ia
v that time teaspoonful Of warm water
which so far from being harm, is good
.s for it, and the process may be repeated
n hourly, or as often as the fretting fits from
tecthiDg begin.
a 1t is now the season when bows ant
girls in the country give their mothers sac
I. nights by coming home in the miseries o
a poisoning by ivy. The irritation by thi
!. poison is acute, as have reason to know
4 but the speedy cure for it is wash Of OK
n alic acid, n teaspoonfnl Of the salt 10
'. pint Of water, with which the poisone
4. spots are bathed as often as they gro,
70 troublesome. The lotion smarts seyereI
for few minutes, but is followed BY ces
a sation Of the poison pain, which itehes a
" if one could tear the part to pieces. Tn,
d above may need reducing for young chill
dren. Make it weak at first, and ad,
!" grains Of the salt till It is strong enouel
a to give relief A dessert spoonful o
sweet oil taken daily Is said to drive tn
N poison out of the blood, but three sever
y cases were cured without it, to my knowl
edge, by the acid alone. 1t should not b
put in tin, or anything metallic, as it cor
ID rodes, and may form poisonous compounds
al Il viii be useful for poor people, ans
d those in the country, away from drul
stores and doctors, to know, on the author
re ity Of DIR. Beach, the noted botanic doc
q tor, that a strong infusion Of yarrow whit
ar tansy) and boneset is good substitute
er for quinine in fever and ague, or othe
malarious complaints The plants shoul,
NJ be gathered when in flower, and doubl
/ handful Of each stepped in one quart o
et boiling water and drank freely three o
n four times day The prescription wa
given by Domino VanSaxon, ll-knowl
a missionary to China for thirty years, VIII
"a studied medicine and the properties o
Mt herbs before going out, as most valuabl
for usefulness and for the poor Thougl
not fond Of Tquackeryn in any shape, oh
servation Of the effects of this medicine /
counteracting summer debility and mala
n. rious complaints among elderly people, ha
"A. led me toa sincere respect for the mission
IL ary's experience, and / shall risk smil
or for recommending herb teas, knowing Ii
N. use such homcly wisdom is to new settle
ks and those to whom quinine, even with Il
II tax removed, is an expensive item. II
in small miseries Of life make sum SO trul
80 formidable that no one who has provs
a remedies for them is excused from giviu
cir others the beneft.-N T. Sun.