Madame Young's Guide to Health / Her experience and practice for nearly forty years; a true family herbal, wherein is displayed the true properties and medical virtues of all the roots, herbs, &c., indigenous to the United States, and their combination in all the diseases the human body is heir to; also, an explanation of the human body, its liability to injuries through ignorance of its structure. Dedicated exclusively to her sex.

by Amelia Young

Nerve Ointment.—Take of bitter sweet bark two parts, of wormwood and camomile equal parts; moisten with warm water, and add some animal oil; simmer over a slow fire ten hours; then strain and add 1 oz. spirits turpentine to each pound of ointment; to be used for bruises, sprains, callouses, corns or swellings.

Good Salve.—Take 1 lb. beeswax, 1 lb. salt butter, 12 oz. balsam fir; simmer together and strain; this is excellent for burns and scalds, after the inflammation is out.

Injection.—Burdock seeds soaked in water.

Dysentery.—Take rhubarb and nutmeg, on going to bed.

Strawberry leaves and roots are good in cases of dysentery, inward inflammation, or for derangement in monthly courses. A syrup made of the berries, is good for jaundice; a decoction from the leaves and roots, will cure sores, inflamed eyes, and humors in the skin.

Eye Wash.—Take one pint of ripe strawberries and put them into a quart bottle with half a pint of good rum, fill it up with rain water; then place it in a bed of horse-dung for one week. This will make a good wash for inflamed eyes.

Mallows.—An excellent remedy for phthisic, and for effections of the chest. Also good as a syrup, when ladies expect to be confined; if costive, they will be much benefited by a frequent use of the tea. The juice, mixed with boiled oil, is good for all tumors, scurf, dandruff, sores on the head, scalds, burns, St. Anthony’s fire, and all feverish and painful swellings. The blows, boiled in water, adding a little alum and honey, will cleanse and heal sore mouth or throat. A tea, made of this, is good for hoarseness, coughs, shortness of breath, gravel and dysentery.

Consumptive Cough Mixture.—Take one tablespoonful of good tar, three ditto of honey, three yolks of eggs, half a pint of good wine; beat the tar, eggs, and honey well together, then add the wine; dose, a teaspoonful three times a day. Make a tea of barley, and drink frequently.

Gravel.—Heart’s Ease is good.

Worms.—A decoction made from witch hazel, or spotted alder bark, scraped off downward, is a good remedy.