Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-09-20
VIRTUES OF SALT.
Few of the Things That 1t Is
Good For, With Some Reasons
Why,

A Few of the Things That It Is
Good For, With Some Reasons
Why.
Salt is good" 1t is the language OF
inspiration, as well as of therapeutics.
In all the range of the household mater
ia-medica there is no remedy half 81
valuable as common salt, both because
of its real curative properties and Of its
immediate availability. And, moreover,
it has this advantage over more preten-
tious remedies. that seldom in case Of
overzeal OF mismanagement can it be
made to do mischief. If it doesn't heal,
it won't kill at any rate. Here are some
of the things it is good for:
Heated dry and applied to the QUITO
surface over the seat of Inflammation o.
congestion, it will give almost instant
relief, while applications of a strong, hot
solution of salt in water or vinegar, acts
like magic upon toothache, earacbc,
neuIalgic headache, and all that brool
of distressing ills.
For catarrhal affections and sore throat
a spray of warm water and salt is almost
Sitbltlt, anu 10 Out VI Nllt HLduudlfi
prescriptions of the those and throat y
specialists For hay fever, and those
other slighter forms Of nasal sensitive,
ness that induce a constant sneezing,
there is no remedy more quickly pallia-
tive, and often curative, than the vapo
of heated salt and alcohol
Put both in tin vessel and heat over
flame. When there is good showing
of vapor place the vessel underneath a
covering that envelops the head as well,
and inhale the vapor through both nose
and throat. For influenza and ordinary
colds this treatment is also excellent.
Salt water baths are an excellent tonic
taken warm they are delightfully."- re-
freshing when one is heated or tired and
taken cold they are the best preventive
in the world Of too great susceptibility to
colds. One delicate woman, who used
to insist that she "caught a cold on
coming into the world and had never
been without one since" became as in
different to damp and draughts as a
sailor, after years trial Of salt baths.
For those who have sensitive gums, in
clined to bleed on the slightest provoca-
ton, mouth wash of salt and cold water
used once or twice day will harden the
gums and prevent soreness. As salt is a
styptic, any slight bleeding may usually
be checked by treating the part with salt
and water. Persons who have tender
feet will find them growing much less
sensitive day by day if treated to daily
brisk rubbing with cold salt and water
There is an old belief that salt water
Injuries the hair, and delightful old
lady once explained to the writer the
reason therefor.
'You see," she said, ''the salt in the
water is stronger than the hair in your
head, and so the salt Just draws the hair
straight out" Assuming this to be true,
that salt water will draw the hair out OF
the head when it isn't otherwise specially
inclined toward coming out, by good
homeopathic reasoning we come to the
conclusion that when the hair insists
upon coming cut of its own accord Wig
orous treating with salt and water will
put a stop to it. Whether the reasoning
be true or not, the fact is. Not all the
tonics you can buy at the hairdresser's
will do your hair hclf the good, if ii
manifests a tendency toward falling out,
that daily scalp bath of strong salt and
water will.
Besides all this, salt is good for the
stomach. A pinch of it in hot water
taken either I'st before or just after a
meal is a valuable aid to digestion, and
n cupful of very hot salt water will some
times quiet the most persistent nausea.
Anything moro that salt will do2 Yes,
the. most grateful of all-cure the tooth
acbe, sometimes. "Wil it really do
that2n A little girl who was told to put
some in an aching tooth says so. II just
put in little salt, " she said, ''and In a
few minutes l felt the naughty aching
nerve curl right down and go to sleep.
But there is one caution to offer How
ever beneficial the therapeutic action OF
salt may be. there is no question but salt
taken into the system with the food in
too great quantities is extremely harmful
1t was the excessive use of salt, quite az
much as the nervous strain of his cam
paign, that killed Horace Greeley, and
there be those who declare that with
many women the use Of salt is species
of dissipation. Too much salt in the
system dries up the blood and the
healthy moisture of the membranous
surfaces, and is evidenced by dead
yellow pa,lor Of the skin. with blanch.
ing of the lips and cheeks and a morbid
craving for the condiment which nothing
but its use in enormous quantities viii
satisfy. III New York Sun.