Take of the dried or green leaves about one ounce, boiling water one pint, and let them stand until cold. Catnip tea is good for colds and coughs in infants; spearmint and peppermint tea is good for disordered stomach and bowels; pennyroyal for a cold if recently taken; chamomile tea is a good tonic, blackberry root tea is good for summer complaint, raspberry leaves (green) for dysentery, sweet apple tree bark tea for a child’s cankered sore mouth, pumpkin seed and parsley tea for suppression of urine; mullien leaf tea is good in kidney complaints; mullien leaves infused in milk makes a medicinal drink in a case of phthisis.
16. MILK AND ISINGLASS (GELATIN.)
Dissolve a little gelatin in water and mix with half a pint of milk. Boil and sweeten to taste.
17. EFFERVESCING LEMONADE.
Take the juice of a large lemon, two or three teaspoonfuls of sugar, half a pint of spring water; add half a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. Stir and drink while effervescing.
18. INDIAN MEAL GRUEL.
Take of Indian meal one small teacupful, wheat flour one table spoonful, boiling water two quarts; wet the meal and flour to a smooth paste, and stir into the water while it is boiling. Boil slowly for thirty or forty minutes, frequently stirring from the bottom; salt to taste; add sugar and nutmeg if you like; if too thick reduce with boiling water to the desired consistency; if a laxative effect is desired omit the flour. Raisins may be boiled with the gruel, and cream may be added if desired.
19. OATMEAL GRUEL
is made in the same way as the above. Gruel drank warm at bed time is a soothing remedy for a bad cold.