Insanity, or Melancholy.—Deadly nightshade, as above.
Salt Rheum and Scald Head.—Take two tablespoonsful of powdered culver root, one tablespoonful of sulphur, and the same of ginger; mix them well together. To an infant, one year old, give a teaspoonful in molasses, or in any other suitable way, four days successively, then omit giving the medicine for two days; continue thus until all is taken. Make an ointment of rosin and hogs’ lard. After the physic has been administered four days, apply the ointment, washing the parts with castile soap suds daily. Make a syrup of hyssop and let the patient take freely while using the above.
Remarks.—In all cases of putrefaction, or danger of the same, give strong spikenard tea sweetened with honey, add a little brandy and apply the same externally; sarsaparilla with it, is cooling. Wash the body with hot vinegar and water; make a decoction of black snake root and sage, and give a teaspoonful once in ten minutes until the effect is answered. To promote perspiration in fevers, epidemics, &c., bathe the feet in weak lye.
Anti-bilious Physic.—Bitter sweet, tied around the neck.
Dropsy.—Take eight ounces dwarf alder bark, boil it in a gallon of water to two quarts, add half a pint of gin and sweeten with honey or molasses. Dose, a gill three times a day.
Another, take three handsfull of water cresses, four of white onions, boil them in three pints of water; then strain and add honey and gin. Dose, a wine glass full three times a day.
Digestive Medicine.—Take tartar emetic, blood root and lobelia, six grains each, salt petre, fifty grains. It is highly diuretic, and adapted to all cases of gravel, &c. In back and liver complaints, give a mild cathartic, or salts, twice a week.
Anti-scorbutic Bitters—To purify the blood, which strengthens the nervous system, creates an appetite, and guards the stomach against infectious diseases.
Preparation: Take one ounce of the bark of the roots of white wood, one ounce of butterfly root (white root), two ounces of black Indian hemp, two ounces of angelica root or seeds, four ounces black snake root, four ounces tamarack bark; add prickley ash bark in cold cases. Powder them and mix well.
Directions.—Infuse one tablespoonful in pint of spirits three days, then strain it, and take from one to three teaspoonsful in a glass of wine half an hour before dinner.