Mother's Remedies Part 93

SPOILED FOODS. Symptoms.--Vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, weakness, cold hands and feet.

Treatment.--Emetics such as warm salt water until patient vomits freely; or mustard water, lard, goose grease, vaselin, tickle throat with feather, etc.

SULPHURIC ACID. Symptoms.--The stomach and bowels are irritated and inflamed, the mouth may burn and bleed; swallowing is difficult. "Coffee grounds" vomiting. Pulse feeble, clammy skin.

Treatment.--Usually the first thing to do is to give an emetic. Send for a doctor and give an emetic. Then give chalk or, if necessary, take plaster from wall, mix it with a gla.s.s of water. Also three or four eggs (raw) in a gla.s.s of milk can be taken.

TARTAR EMETIC. Symptoms.--Metallic taste, violent vomiting, becoming b.l.o.o.d.y, feeble pulse; pain and burning in the stomach. Violent watery purging, becoming b.l.o.o.d.y; cramps in the extremities, thirst, great weakness; sometimes prostration, collapse, unconsciousness.

Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops to gla.s.s of water.

Treatment.--Soothing drinks, milk, white of egg and water, flaxseed tea, etc., external heat.

TOBACCO. Symptoms.--Vomiting, terrible weakness.

Treatment.--Emetics, such as warm salt water, warm mustard water, goose grease, lard, vaselin, etc.; then stimulants such as strong, coffee, brandy; heat to extremities, artificial respiration.

WINE OF ANTIMONY. Symptoms.--Metallic taste, violent vomiting, becoming b.l.o.o.d.y, feeble pulse; pain and burning in the stomach. Violent watery purging, becoming b.l.o.o.d.y; cramps in the extremities, thirst, great weakness; sometimes prostration, collapse, unconsciousness.

Antidotes.--Tannic acid, twenty drops to gla.s.s of water.

Treatment.--Soothing drinks, milk, white of egg and water, flax seed tea, etc.; external heat.

[408 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

HERB DEPARTMENT

OVER ONE HUNDRED (100) MEDICAL HERBS Partially Ill.u.s.trated, with Full and Detailed Explanation as to Their Internal and External Uses, Part to Be Used, When to Gather, Time of Flowering, Where Found, Preparation for Medicine, Teas, Etc., and Full Directions for Using.

In preparing this department we have been governed by two essential observations. First, that the tendency in American and Canadian homes is to the return to the good old home remedies that mother and grandmother used so successfully. We have, therefore, tried to choose in this list of over one hundred herbs, the most common ones, ones that could be prepared at home easily and quickly and which would be perfectly safe for the average person to administer as medicine.

Second, upon a close examination of the herb departments of practically all of the medical works or receipt books sold for family use today we discovered that only general information and directions were given. In this connection, we have endeavored, and we believe successfully, to supply what other books have neglected,--definite directions for the preparation, dose, etc. Should a physician leave a bottle of medicine at your home without directions you would not think of using it, and it is just as useless and indiscreet for a young mother to attempt to use herbs from the field without explicit directions for their preparation and administration.

We give below a few important directions for gathering, keeping and preparation of herbs, etc., for reference when using herbs not in this list. Those in the list are explained under their respective headings.

Drying and Preserving Roots, Herbs, Barks, etc.--Gather herbs when the weather is fine, when there is no dew upon them, when the flowers are in full bloom or the seeds are ripening. By gathering the herbs yourself you are a.s.sured of their being fresh although, if living in the city, you can purchase them ready prepared in ounce packages for about five cents at any drug store. Should you gather them yourself dry them in the shade, after which they should be kept from exposure to the air by wrapping up in paper or keeping in paper bags, tied and hung up in the attic or other dry place. If hanging exposed in your home for a long time watch them that moths do not gather in them and make their nests.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BLOODROOT]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ELDER FLOWERS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLEURISY ROOT]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SNAKE HEAD]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SENECA SNAKE ROOT]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GINSENG]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MANDRAKE OR MAY-APPLE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WAHOO]

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCOURING RUSH]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BONESET]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ROCK ROSE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: TANSY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BEARBERRY]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ST. JOHN'S WORT]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WORMWOOD]

[Ill.u.s.tration: TRUE CHAMOMILE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: INDIAN TOBACCO OR LOBELIA]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CANADA FLEABANE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MARSH MARIGOLD]

[Ill.u.s.tration: AMERICAN WORMSEED]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ELECAMPANE]

[Ill.u.s.tration: MUSTARD]

[Ill.u.s.tration: PARTRIDGE BERRY]

[HERB DEPARTMENT 409]

Roots should be dug in the spring when the sap is rising if you wish to make extract; or they may be gathered in autumn when they have ceased to vegetate. To dry for winter use they should be sliced, dried and kept from the air.

Barks should be stripped when the tree is in full leaf and dried in the shade. The bark of the roots should be taken in the fall, when the sap has descended.

Flowers and Seeds.--Flowers should be gathered when in full bloom and free from the dew and should be kept from exposure to the air. Be sure that seeds have fully matured; dry them also in a shady place and keep ready for use.

Preparation of Herbs for Medicine.--There are many different methods of preparing herbs for medicine,--Infusion, Decoction, Fomentation, Ointment, Plaster, Poultice, Powder, Essence, Tincture, etc. Only five of these, Plaster, Poultice, Fomentations, Decoction and Infusion are commonly used.

An infusion is more commonly called "tea."

Infusion or Tea, to make.--Usually about one ounce of the herb to a pint of water is used for an infusion. Sometimes cold water is poured over the herb, but the most common method is to pour boiling water over the herb and let stand for a short time, just as you would make common tea for the table. Sometimes a little sugar may be added to make the tea more palatable. An infusion or tea should be used while fresh.

Decoction, to make.--Make same as for infusion and boil for some time, just as you would make coffee.

Essence, to make.--Take about an ounce of the essential oil of the herb and dissolve in a pint of alcohol.

Fomentations, to make.--Dip cloths or heavy towels in the infusion or decoction, wring out and apply locally to part that you wish to cover.

Ointments or Salve, to make.--An easy method to make a salve or ointment is to take about eight parts of vaselin or lard or any like substance and add two parts of the remedy you wish to use. Thus, if you were to make a sulphur salve you would use eight ounces of vaselin and two ounces of sulphur; stir and mix well while hot and when cool you would have a regular sulphur salve or ointment.

Plasters, to make.--Bruise the leaves, root, or other part of the plant and place between two pieces of cloth, just as you would a mustard plaster, and apply to the surface you wish to cover.