Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-11

ONDAY JAN UAR1 IL,
spells word alike twice running-to avoid
monotony, we will suppose. But to 60 on
with this ancient cosmetic:
Virtues Of OIL of Almonds
"Oyle of almonds, blaunch them and put
them in pot with holes in the bottom-i. e.,
a colander-and set it over vessel OF seeth-
ing water and presse out the oyle; the press
must have strong cheeks, and between them
two plates of iron, hote, but not burning,
and the almonds in bagge of canvas. Steep
cloves, or amber, or storsx, or benzamine, or
maces in elderfower water until it hath re-
celved their strength and dry againe, and
steep it new foure or five times. Then put
thereto foure or five times as many scraped
almonds stamped, then presse out the oyle
and set it in the sunne to purife
for a time. The oyle, itself hath the YER
tues of balme-it healeth fresh and greene
wounds, it comforteth the head and hearte,
especially it helpeth the giddiness Of the
heade, it stayeth the issue of blood and
water in wounds, it comforteth the natural
parts, it purgeth melancholy blood. Three
or four drops taken fasting in a spoone, with
some pleasant syrop, daintie thing or wine
with the broth or cullis of capon, 1t
hellpeth the collick and suffocation."
Patient scribe, he wanted to get 1t all in,
and the long sentence sounds as if it were
the close of his days work or stint, and he
was consclentiously anxious to note every
thing concerning the "vertues" ofthe "oyle."
I remember hearing long ago in my youth
from homely woman called "clever in
sickness" that oil OF cinnamon was sovereign
for heart failure, taken a few drops at
time, and with the dainty additions pre-
seribed above, the broth of eapon or demul-
cent syrup, its effect would be enhanced, for
stim mulant needs light nourishment to sup
plement its effects.
Sympathy In Old Phrases.
The old phrases have something tender
and sympathetic with all their plalnness Of
speech. There is much about '1iver griefes"
and 'milt griefes," milt being the spleen if
you think moment; "breast griefes and
braine griefes, +" directions for drawing out
bones"-i. e. causing the splinters to work
out of a wound, those being days when peo-
pie broke each others bones for differences
OF opinion at short notice.
There is "purging of wastrich humors,"
which expresses the decline in consumption,
shingles, holy fre"-i e. erysipelas-
"lethargie, frenzie, burnings and dead flesh,
plague. lepzie, squyncy. hot griefes and i'm
posthumes," which seem to have been every
day ailments'of the time when bathrooms
were unknown and people swept their houses
mainly to get rid Of feas. Still many of
their "griefes" have descended to the
present, and wish, above all things, that
we had plainly written book which would
give the practice and experience of medi-
cine in simple, direct brevity like this old
manual.
Apples in the Pharmacopoeia.
"Sour, astringent apples may be given in
hot agues to cool the stomach, but taken
freely in ordinary health hurt the stomach,
and taken in spring hurt the sinews, engen-
der cholera and inhammations. The tarte
and sowre apples do binde, but ripe, pleas
ant ones are the contrary. They are good
for them that swoone and have weak heart.
The pap of the apple (the pulp) with rose
water applied to the eyes taketh away their
rednesse. Mix chalk with the juiceof Wild
ings or crabs and apply it to take away pain
of burns or inhammations. For red nose
and face distil the blossoms in a water bath
and wash with the liquid morning and night.
For a cough, roast butter, English saffron
and sugar candy, as much as nutmeg in a
great apple. and each such q one morning
and evening. Eyes, to comfort and make
them clear and lively, distil peck of rotten
apples and use the water" do not youeh
for this.
The virtues of white horehound are set
forth at leisure. "Boiled with iris root till
the third part of the water is wasted, it is
good for old coughs and raises phlegm,
taken spoonful when the cough comes on.
Stamp e., pound-the leaves with honey
and apply for agnails and sweilings about
the nails or joints. The juice cleareth the
eyes and killeth worms in the ears" which
was one of the minor plaques Of Queen
EliEabeth's time and before
A Cure for Madness.
"All kinds of horehound are good for
women to bathe in that have weak back or
pains in the legs The distilled water is
good against all scabs and wheales. For
madness, stamp houseleek and roses, equal
parts, with milk and bind on the forehead
and temples. Face swollen or scorched. rub
it twice or thrice day with the Juice of
houseleek. Juniper or the berries burned
"driveth away all venomous beasts. I" like
mosquitoes. ''and all infection and cor.
ruption OF the air.
"Ivy leaves sodden in wine sre good for
all spots and scabs of the face and skin. The
great leaves of ivy sodden in wine heal all
wounds and cuts. To make hair yellow
wash with lye of the ashes of ivy wood
without the bark. Sciatica, amount with
the juice of ivy drawn out by stepping in
alcohol.
Lavender, boil it in water and wett thy
shirt In it. and dry it again and wear it,
and no body vermin will be In it as long as |
1t smelleth of it. The flowers distilled in |
wine help all cold griefes of the brain. |
cramps and stoppages whatever. Shred the |
leaves with the flowers and distil in June,
and drink two ounces of the water against |
apoplexia, or the astonishing and trembling |
of thy members and hands. To comfort the |
head guilt the flowers into cap and wear Il |
daily"
From Getting Drunk.
ITO avoid drunkenness use leeks raw.
Lettuce nourisheth and breedeth good blood |
and causeth sleep. Young lettuce is good |
for agues, SO are the seeds in warm water. |
Pluck up lettuce with the left hand before |
and lay it under the covering of |
q sick mans bed, he not knowing thereof to |
cause him to sleep, which is pretty, lift is |
q superstition. ut is not good for women |
who would have children to use lettuce
much, as it causes barrenness and maketh |
the children raging of kind and foolish |
(efects of the opium In lettuce), and the |
same is evil for them that be short vinded.
phlegmatic or spit blood.
"For heartburn chew Gcorice root and |
swallow the juice. The seeds of lilies are
good against the bitings Of serpents. The
lily water restoreth the voice that is lost,
The oil Of lilies is good against carbuncles.
Lily root seethed in oil brings back hair on |
burnt or scaIded heads. To cleanse the face
lay lemons in buttermilk and wash therein.
Use the herb lovage in baths to open the
pores and draw forth humors. The decoc-
tion of the root, seed or herb in barley water
cleanses the lungs and passages and heals
inward wounds and alterations"