PLANTS, To Preserve Specimens of. — Spread the specimens out
on sheets of blotting paper, carefully unfolding the flowers and leaves so
that their beauty may be maintained. Arrange the sheets containing the
plants one above the other, and place them in a tray or pan, covering them
with a layer of dry sand about half an inch thick. Stand the tray before
a good fire for three or four hours, and when the specimens are perfectly
dry gum them on to cardboard and label them with all particulars.
PLASTER (ADHESIVE).— Melt together half a pound of
yellow rosin and a quarter of a pound of Burgandy pitch ; then spread it
upon linen. Used to secure other dressings.
PLASTER (ANODYNE). — Lead plaster, one pound; melt in
a pipkin at a low heat ; add coarsely powdered gum, three ounces ; mix,
and then add of powdered opium, half an ounce, and water, eight fluid
ounces. Boil to a proper consistence, then spread it on thin leather.
PLASTER (BLISTERING). — Melt two ounces of yellow wax,
and while it is warm add to it six ounces of Venice turpentine, three
ounces of finely powdered Spanish flies, and one ounce of mustard ; stir
till cold.
PLASTER CASTS, To Bronze. — Give the figure a coating of
size varnish, let it stand till nearly dry, then put some metallic bronze
powder into a muslin bag, dust it over the surface, dab it with a linen wad,
and when perfectly dry give a coating of oak varnish.
PLASTER CASTS, To Harden. — Stearine, two parts; Venetian
soap, two parts ; pearlash, one part ; and a solution of caustic potash,
twenty-four to thirty parts. Cut the stearine and soap into slices, mix
them with a portion of the ley, and boil for half an hour, stirring con-
stantly. Whenever the mass rises add a little more cold ley. Moisten the
pearlash with rain water, add it to the whole, and boil up for a few
minutes. Stir the mass till it is cold, then mix it with more of the cold
ley, so that it becomes quite liquid and runs off the spoon without coagu-
lating and contracting. Cover the composition over for a few days and it
will then be ready for use. It will keep for years. Apply with a brush till
the plaster will not absorb any more. When dry, dust it with a soft leather,
and if the surface has not acquired a gloss apply another coating of the
composition.
PLASTER (COMMON). — Put into a pot three pints of olive oil
and one pound and a quarter of finely-powdered litharge ; stand the pot
in a saucepan of water, and boil gently over a slow fire, stirring continually
for about three hours. Used to keep the air from slight wounds.
PLASTER (GUM). — Common plaster, two pounds ; gum-am-
moniac, four ounces ; galban, four ounces. Mix, and add gradually three
ounces of Venice turpentine. Used to disperse indolent tumours.
PLASTER OF PARIS, To Prevent it Setting. — Plaster of Paris
may be prevented from setting for three or four hours by adding to it
(before mixing with water) two per cent, of alum, sulphate of potash, or
borax. By this method casts can be taken more easily, and when dry they
present a greater resemblance to stone.
PLASTER (STRENGTHENING).— To two-thirds of a pint
of spirits of wine, add half a pound of yellow rosin, two ounces of bees-
wax, and one ounce of cayenne pepper. Simmer slowly till the spirits are
almost evaporated. Let it cool a little, then add one ounce of camphor,
a dram and a half of oil of sassafras, and one dram of opium.
Page 173
Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
PLANTS, To Preserve Specimens of. — Spread the specimens out on sheets of blotting paper, carefully unfolding the flowers and leaves so that their beauty may be maintained. Arrange the sheets containing the plants one above the other, and place them in a tray or pan, covering them with a layer of dry sand about half an inch thick. Stand the tray before a good fire for three or four hours, and when the specimens are perfectly dry gum them on to cardboard and label them with all particulars.
PLASTER (ADHESIVE).— Melt together half a pound of yellow rosin and a quarter of a pound of Burgandy pitch ; then spread it upon linen. Used to secure other dressings.
PLASTER (ANODYNE). — Lead plaster, one pound; melt in a pipkin at a low heat ; add coarsely powdered gum, three ounces ; mix, and then add of powdered opium, half an ounce, and water, eight fluid ounces. Boil to a proper consistence, then spread it on thin leather.
PLASTER (BLISTERING). — Melt two ounces of yellow wax, and while it is warm add to it six ounces of Venice turpentine, three ounces of finely powdered Spanish flies, and one ounce of mustard ; stir till cold.
PLASTER CASTS, To Bronze. — Give the figure a coating of size varnish, let it stand till nearly dry, then put some metallic bronze powder into a muslin bag, dust it over the surface, dab it with a linen wad, and when perfectly dry give a coating of oak varnish.
PLASTER CASTS, To Harden. — Stearine, two parts; Venetian soap, two parts ; pearlash, one part ; and a solution of caustic potash,
twenty-four to thirty parts. Cut the stearine and soap into slices, mix them with a portion of the ley, and boil for half an hour, stirring constantly. Whenever the mass rises add a little more cold ley. Moisten the pearlash with rain water, add it to the whole, and boil up for a few minutes. Stir the mass till it is cold, then mix it with more of the cold ley, so that it becomes quite liquid and runs off the spoon without coagulating and contracting. Cover the composition over for a few days and it will then be ready for use. It will keep for years. Apply with a brush till the plaster will not absorb any more. When dry, dust it with a soft leather, and if the surface has not acquired a gloss apply another coating of the composition.
PLASTER (COMMON). — Put into a pot three pints of olive oil and one pound and a quarter of finely-powdered litharge ; stand the pot in a saucepan of water, and boil gently over a slow fire, stirring continually for about three hours. Used to keep the air from slight wounds.
PLASTER (GUM). — Common plaster, two pounds ; gum-ammoniac, four ounces ; galban, four ounces. Mix, and add gradually three ounces of Venice turpentine. Used to disperse indolent tumours.
PLASTER OF PARIS, To Prevent it Setting. — Plaster of Paris may be prevented from setting for three or four hours by adding to it (before mixing with water) two per cent, of alum, sulphate of potash, or borax. By this method casts can be taken more easily, and when dry they present a greater resemblance to stone.
PLASTER (STRENGTHENING).— To two-thirds of a pint of spirits of wine, add half a pound of yellow rosin, two ounces of beeswax, and one ounce of cayenne pepper. Simmer slowly till the spirits are almost evaporated. Let it cool a little, then add one ounce of camphor, a dram and a half of oil of sassafras, and one dram of opium.