Corns — Apply morning and evening one drop of solution of per-
chloride of iron. Soak them in hot alum water as hot as can be borne ;
alum the size of a walnut in a bowl of water. Take a salve of two
tablespoonfuls of lard, one teaspoonful of ammonia and one of cam-
phor. Bind this on to the corn and wear it all the time, renewing the
salve often and you will have no trouble.
Bunions — Buckskin leather an inch or two across, with a hole cut in
the center the size of the corn. Wear it until the corns or bunions cease
to pain you. By sewing a narrow band on and slipping it over the toe
it will keep the shoe from rubbing it. A strong mixture of carbolic acid
and glycerine used in equal portions makes a good application, but must
be kept out of the way, for it is a burning poison. Bay rum or vaseline
is a soothing application if they are very painful. A weak solution of
carbolic acid will heal soft corns between the toes.
Or take a small onion, split it and rub the joint with a fresh half each
night and morning. To paint it with the tincture of iodine is also
good.
Frosted Feet — One ounce of mutton suet, one ounce of rosin ; melt
together the rosin and suet ; when nearly cold add the yolk of one egg,
beating all together thoroughly. It will relieve as soon as applied.
Perspiring Feet — Soak them every night before retiring in warm
water, with a tablespoonful of bi-carbonate soda in the bath, and in the
morning in cold water, to which has been added a teaspoonful of pow-
dered alum. Or wash them in water in which a tablespoonful of
ammonia has been put. Woolen stockings will cause perspiration of
the feet.
Ingrowing Toe Nails — Keep the nails scraped thin on top. Take a
little tallow and put it into a spoon and heat it over the lamp until it
becomes very hot ; then put it on the sore or granulation. The effect
will be almost magical. The operation causes very little pain if the tal-
low is perfectly heated. Then take a piece of twine, push it under the
toe nail as far as possible, then bring the ends up and tie a hard knot
directly on top of the nail, then pass the ends down around the foot or
any way that will fasten them so the knot will remain on top the nail
Never cut off the corners, but let the nail grow perfectly square. A
notch in the middle sometimes does good.
Chilblains — In the evening, before retiring, take salt and vinegar,
made as hot as can be borne on the parts affected ; bathe with a small
cloth, and do so until cured.
Or slice raw potatoes, with the skins on, and sprinkle over them a lit- ■
tie salt, and as soon as the liquid therefrom settles in the bottom of the
dish, wash with it the chilblains ; one application is all that is neces-
sary.
This is a severe cure, but effectual : Take a saucer of kerosene oil
276 MEDICAL.
and add a handful of salt, mix thoroughly and apply to chilblains ; then
heat the chilblains at a very hot fire ; when the heat becomes unbear-
able, "grit " your teeth and bear a little longer ; as soon as the pain sub-
sides a little, repeat the operation. Do this three or four times.
Page 244
Presented as published in 1886. 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
Corns — Apply morning and evening one drop of solution of perchloride of iron. Soak them in hot alum water as hot as can be borne ; alum the size of a walnut in a bowl of water. Take a salve of two tablespoonfuls of lard, one teaspoonful of ammonia and one of camphor. Bind this on to the corn and wear it all the time, renewing the salve often and you will have no trouble.
Bunions — Buckskin leather an inch or two across, with a hole cut in the center the size of the corn. Wear it until the corns or bunions cease to pain you. By sewing a narrow band on and slipping it over the toe it will keep the shoe from rubbing it. A strong mixture of carbolic acid and glycerine used in equal portions makes a good application, but must be kept out of the way, for it is a burning poison. Bay rum or vaseline is a soothing application if they are very painful. A weak solution of carbolic acid will heal soft corns between the toes.
Or take a small onion, split it and rub the joint with a fresh half each night and morning. To paint it with the tincture of iodine is also good.
Frosted Feet — One ounce of mutton suet, one ounce of rosin ; melt together the rosin and suet ; when nearly cold add the yolk of one egg, beating all together thoroughly. It will relieve as soon as applied.
Perspiring Feet — Soak them every night before retiring in warm water, with a tablespoonful of bi-carbonate soda in the bath, and in the morning in cold water, to which has been added a teaspoonful of powdered alum. Or wash them in water in which a tablespoonful of ammonia has been put. Woolen stockings will cause perspiration of the feet.
Ingrowing Toe Nails — Keep the nails scraped thin on top. Take a little tallow and put it into a spoon and heat it over the lamp until it becomes very hot ; then put it on the sore or granulation. The effect will be almost magical. The operation causes very little pain if the tallow is perfectly heated. Then take a piece of twine, push it under the toe nail as far as possible, then bring the ends up and tie a hard knot directly on top of the nail, then pass the ends down around the foot or any way that will fasten them so the knot will remain on top the nail Never cut off the corners, but let the nail grow perfectly square. A notch in the middle sometimes does good.
Chilblains — In the evening, before retiring, take salt and vinegar, made as hot as can be borne on the parts affected ; bathe with a small cloth, and do so until cured.
Or slice raw potatoes, with the skins on, and sprinkle over them a little salt, and as soon as the liquid therefrom settles in the bottom of the dish, wash with it the chilblains ; one application is all that is necessary.
This is a severe cure, but effectual : Take a saucer of kerosene oil
and add a handful of salt, mix thoroughly and apply to chilblains ; then heat the chilblains at a very hot fire ; when the heat becomes unbearable, "grit " your teeth and bear a little longer ; as soon as the pain subsides a little, repeat the operation. Do this three or four times.