To Preserve Fruit.—All kinds of fruit which you wish to keep fresh—such as grapes, peaches, pears, quinces, &c., should be gathered carefully, and the stems broke off at full length; then have a vessel of sealing wax, and dip the end of the stem which you broke off from the tree or vine into it, and lay them carefully in a cool, dry place, and they will keep for months, and not wither.
To make Essences.—All kinds of essences in general use, can be made by putting one ounce of the essential oil in one pint of alcohol; half an ounce of the oil of cinnamon, cloves and tanzy, is sufficient, to three half pints of alcohol; you can reduce the others after the oil is cut or dissolved, by putting in whiskey, which is preferable to alcohol.
Polypus, or Fungus of the Gum.—This disease is essentially hypertrophy of the gum, arising from mechanical irritation. If a tooth decay on one side, below the level of the gum, leaving a sharp margin in contact with the gum, a tumor frequently forms from it, spreads into, and partially fills up the hole of the tooth, or the vacancy between the two decaying teeth; the tumor is usually composed of dense fibrous tissue, covered with epithelium, and is almost insensible unless ulcerated, when it becomes very painful. If the tumor be removed, it will grow again and again, unless the tooth be extracted, when it will suddenly disappear. The tumors show, on dissection, an undulating surface of fibro-cellular tissue, covered by a thick layer of epithelium.
The best application for this troublesome state of the gum is sulphate of copper, applied every day or two.
Sore, or Red Eyes.—Soft maple bark.
Anti-Billious Female Pills.—Take two ounces mandrake root, two ounces gamboge, two ounces blood root, two ounces lobelia, pulverized fine; mix and moisten with molasses, and make into pills of common size; take from two to three pills every night. They are good for a relax, dysentery, rheumatism, jaundice, or female obstruction.
Rheumatic Powder.—One ounce Virginia snake root, two ounces white pine bark, two ounces prickly ash, pulverized together, put into two quarts of water, and boil to three pints. Dose, one gill three times a day.
For Dysentery.—A strong tea made of black cherry bark and rhubarb, sweeten with loaf sugar, and add a little brandy. A grown person should take a tablespoonful every fifteen minutes; younger persons in proportion to age.
Healing Salve.—Take one pound each of rosin and beeswax, two ounces mutton tallow, one ounce gum camphor, one ounce tincture myrrh; melt the rosin, beeswax and tallow together, then add the camphor, previously finely pulverized; strain, return it clear into the kettle, and when it is again well mixed add the tincture of myrrh, and stir them well together; then turn it into cold water, and work it like wax. This is likewise a good strengthening plaster, and one of the best healing salves in use.
Relax in Children.—Take wine vinegar and hens’ eggs, equal parts, and beat them well together; mix in wheat flour stiff as common dough; bake this moderately. Give one teaspoonful of the powder three times a day. Mix with the above powder a little powder of hens’ gizzards, the skin of the gizzard only.