Measures.

30 drops½ tsp. (teaspoon)
60 drops 1 tsp., or 1 dram.
2 tsp.1 dessertspoon.
4 tsp.1 tbsp. (tablespoon)
1 tbsp.½ ounce.
2 tbsp.1 ounce.

1. Tincture of Iodine.

(One ounce in a large-mouthed glass-stoppered bottle.)

This should be in every household and every member above ten years of age should know where it is kept. Any open wound or cut should be immediately touched with this antiseptic.

Iodine is a poison if swallowed, but is the best household remedy in cases of cuts or wounds. It should be applied to such injuries immediately, for it destroys germs. Iodine may be applied direct by pouring on wound; or with a small wad of absorbent cotton fastened to a toothpick.

If iodine is swallowed by accident, give cornstarch and water, or boiled starch, or bread softened in water.

To take iodine stains out of materials, use strong household ammonia.

2. Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia.

(One ounce in glass-stoppered bottle.)

Dose:

Dose may be safely repeated every hour for several hours.

This is used for nervousness, headaches, indigestion, fainting, etc.

(Remember that an unconscious person cannot swallow, so do not give an unconscious person medicine, for it may cause choking.)

3. Boric Acid Powder.

(One-half pound.)

Boric acid is not an acid, but a simple harmless alkali.

Useful in solution as a mouth wash; also for stings and for sore eyes. Dissolve as much as possible in a cup of freshly boiled water. For sore eyes, use in an eye-dropper or an eye-cup. It is both harmless and safe. Sometimes the dry powder is dusted on the blistered surface of a burn to dry blisters. Talcum powders contain a great deal of boric acid, which is cooling and healing.

4. Compound Stearate of Zinc.

(One ounce.)

A simple, excellent dusting powder for skin irritations.

5. Pure Alcohol.

(One pint in glass-stoppered bottle. The glass stopper prevents evaporation.)

Useful for bathing in case of fever—to reduce temperature. Dip needle into alcohol before taking a splinter out—to “sterilize” or remove germs from needle. If iodine becomes too strong because of evaporation, add a little pure alcohol.

Note.—“Wood” alcohol is a poison, sometimes causing blindness; even used for bathing, it injures the eyes.

“Denatured” alcohol is a poison.

6. Lime Water.

(Five cents’ worth.)

Dose: 1 to 2 tbsp. or more in water or milk.

Used for acid indigestion, for poisoning from acids, and in making carron oil.

7. Carron Oil.

(One-half pint.)

Carron oil is excellent for burns. It may be purchased at the drug store, or made by shaking together in a bottle equal parts of linseed oil and lime water; for instance: one-quarter cup linseed oil, one quarter cup lime water.

8. Epsom Salt.

(One-half pound.)

Useful as a laxative.

Dose: 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. in a glass of water.

To relieve the skin in ivy poisoning, dissolve as much Epsom salt as possible in a quarter cup boiled water. When cool, bathe skin and allow to dry in the air.

9. Soda-Mint-and-Pepsin Tablets.

A simple remedy for indigestion.

10. Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda).

(Two ounces in a box or glass.)

Useful in solution in case of scalds or burns, and stings of insects.

For indigestion: dose ½ tsp. in ½ glass hot water.

11. Household Ammonia.

(Label, “POISON.”)

In case of fainting, hold a little distance from patient’s nose. Useful for stings of insects.

12. Adhesive (Zinc Oxide) Plaster.

(One yard, one-half inch wide.)

Useful for holding dressings in place or for fastening end of bandages, etc.; for support in sprains in place of bandages; for strapping a cut, but should not be used to cover a cut or wound.

13. Tube Vaseline.

Useful for burns, chapped hands, granulated eyelids. Do not put vaseline on fresh cuts or wounds.

If a glass stopper is oiled with vaseline, it will not “stick” fast.

14. Tube Capsicum Vaseline.

Used for stiff neck, and in place of mustard plaster when only a mild irritant is needed.

15. Peroxide of Hydrogen.

(Four ounces.)

Do not use on cuts! Cotton saturated with peroxide of hydrogen will generally stop severe nosebleed. Used sometimes for burns. Keep bottle in a dark closet; it deteriorates in the light.

Note.—Peroxide of hydrogen is recommended by State Boards of Health as a protection against Infantile Paralysis. Use as a spray for nose and throat, or as a gargle, in the proportion of one part peroxide to three parts water.

16. Castor Oil.

(Two ounces.)

Dose: Children, 1 to 2 tsp.; adults, 1 to 2 tbsp.

A mild purgative, clearing the intestines of undigested food in case of acute indigestion.

It may be given in capsules; or one of the patent (“proprietary”) preparations may be given. There are one or two of these which are not at all unpleasant to take. An easy method of taking castor oil: hold a piece of ice in the mouth before taking; and after, rinse the mouth with ice water.

17. Witch Hazel.

(Ten cents’ worth.)

For sprains, stings, bites of insects.

Best applied in wet compress.

18. Essence, or Tincture, or Spirit of (Jamaica) Ginger.

(One ounce.)

Dose: ½ tsp. in a tbsp. hot water. Less for children.

For colic and indigestion.

19. Syrup of Ipecac.

(Two ounces.)

Dose: As expectorant, 5 to 10 drops; as emetic, 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp., according to age.

Used as an emetic—to produce vomiting—in croup, in cases of poisoning, etc.

Useful in small doses in bronchitis and asthma.

20. Spirit of Camphor.

(Two ounces.)

This may be made by pouring pure alcohol on pure gum camphor.

It is useful for colds when they first appear. Dose: 2 drops on a tsp. sugar.

Excellent for mosquito bites.

21. Sweet Spirit of Nitre.

(Two ounces.)

Dose:

Children, 3 to 10 drops in ¼ glass of water.

Adults, 20 drops to 1 tsp. in ¼ glass of water.

For fever and colds. Apply to fever blisters (cold sores) to allay inflammation.

22. Boric Acid Ointment.

Excellent for fever blisters (cold sores). Made by rubbing 1 tbsp. boric acid powder into 1 tsp. vaseline.

23. Powdered Alum.

(One ounce.)

Useful for bleeding gums, canker spots, as a gargle in sore throat, etc.

Dissolve a tsp. in a glass of water.

24. Borax.

(One pound.)

Useful as a gargle or mouth wash—one tsp. in a glass of water; or as a deodorant of perspiration, and for general cleansing purposes.

25. Spiced Syrup of Rhubarb.

(Two ounces.)

Dose:

Children ½ to 1 tsp.

Adults 2 tsp.

For pain in abdomen, indigestion, diarrhea.

26. Picric Acid Gauze.

(One small package.)

This is excellent as a compress for burns, but it leaves a stain on clothing which cannot be removed.

27. Aromatic Smelling Salts.

Inhaled for faintness, headache, etc.

28. Oil of Cloves.

(One-half ounce.)

For toothache. Saturate a piece of cotton and pack in the tooth after cleaning out the cavity. Cover with dry cotton.

29. Normal Salt Solution.

Excellent for burns.

To make: Add 1 level tsp. table salt to 1 pint water which has boiled 20 minutes. Do not use more salt than directions call for.

30. Mustard (Powdered).

(One-quarter pound.)

One tsp. in a glass of lukewarm water will cause vomiting. Useful as an emetic in cases of poisoning, and in form of mustard plaster.

31. Essence of Peppermint.

(Two ounces.)

Dose:

Children, 3 to 10 drops in ¼ glass of water.

Adults, 10 to 20 drops in ¼ glass of water.

For colic, flatulence (gas), heart-burn.

Sometimes used externally for slight burns.

32. Tincture of Arnica.

(Four ounces.)

Applied externally as a remedy for strains, sprains, and bruises.

33. Oil of Turpentine.

(Two ounces.)

Useful for chilblains, and in “stupes.” See [Ready Reference List], page 136.

(Buy this at the drug store—it is not the kind used in paint.)

34. Aseptic (Sterile) Absorbent Cotton.

(Small package.)

“Aseptic” means clean, or free from germs. Keep clean in package, opening end only as needed. Throw away all used cotton.

35. Sterile Gauze.

(Buy a one-yard package at the drug store. Keep it wrapped.)

“Sterile” means clean in a medical sense—free from germs. Do not handle. Hands are seldom clean in a medical sense. Never use old rags or pieces of handkerchiefs unless freshly laundered, but if possible use sterile gauze for wrapping cuts or wounds.

36. Triangular Bandages.

The triangular bandage is the bandage used for first-aid emergencies.

The roller bandages are for more permanent use.

It is most convenient to have on hand one of the Red Cross First Aid Outfits, the contents of which are so packed as to keep them free from dust.

The simplest of these outfits contains all material necessary in ordinary household accidents:

On the triangular bandage are printed pictures showing the way in which it is used. (See [Chapter XIII].)

To a gauze bandage a pad of gauze is sewed. This pad may be tied over a wound without being touched with the hands.

The safety pins are to hold bandages in place, but a stitch is better.

37. Roller Bandages.

In addition to the above, in every medicine closet there should be:

Three gauze roller bandages, 1 inch wide (for bandaging fingers).

Three gauze roller bandages, 2½ inches wide (for bandaging arms, etc.).

It is best to buy roller bandages, wrapped ready for use, at the drug store. Never use a wet bandage, for it shrinks as it dries, and stops free circulation of the blood. (See [Chapter XVI].)

38. Rubber Ear Syringe.

39. Fountain Syringe.

40. Graduate Measuring Glass, marked with dosage—teaspoonful, tablespoonful.

Graduate Measuring Glass

41. Eye Dropper, which can be used to drop medicine.

Eye Dropper

42. Hot-Water Bottle.

While this list of contents of the Home Medicine Closet may seem long, the cost is but little, and the timely use of some of the remedies may prevent serious illness and save doctors’ bills.

Transcriber’s Note:

Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. However, many times the text goes straight from dialogue to instruction, and a closing quotation mark is absent.

Page 74, “tinest” changed to “tiniest” (tiniest real ones)

Page 87, “blame” changed to “blamed” (you will be blamed)

Page 131, “Gentle” changed to “Gently” (Gently massage or)