Epsom Salts. — Sulphate of Jlfagncsimn ,
A very unpleasant medicine to the taste ; an
active, cooling cathartic. It is (its nastniess
apart) useful as a purgative in some inflam-
mator}^ affections of strong people ; for
507
44
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
delicate patients, milder medicines are better.
Dose, from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonfnl,
dissolved in water.
Ergot : Spurred Rye. — A growth on
grains of diseased rye plants. When taken
into the stomach, it has a tendency to pro-
mote contraction of the womb and of the
blood-vessels. On account of the first of
these effects, it is given after child-birth, to
aid in the expulsion of the placenta (after-
birth), and to check hemorrhage. Its caus-
ing contraction of the blood-vessels is a
reason for its being prescribed for various
hemorrhages, and also in chronic inflaninia-
tions ; especially of the spinal marrow. The
whie of ergot is the preparation most em-
ployed. Dose, of it or of the fluid extract,
from half a teaspoonful to two teaspoonfuls,
in water.
Eucalyptus. — From the leaves of this
Australian tree a tincture is made, as well as
a solid extract, and the essential oil, euca-
lyptol. Lozenges of this drug are service-
able as a wanning expectorant, in bronchial
catarrh. Eucalyptus is also useful in
chronic irritability of the bladder. Dose of
the tiiicture, a teaspoonful; extract, one to
ten grains ; of eucalyptol, ten to twenty
drops, in capsules or a mixture.
Fennel=Seed. — A very mild aromatic ;
sometimes made into a tea for babies' colic ;
more often added to senna tea, ox fluid ex-
tract of senna, to keep the purgative medi-
cine from griping the bowels.
Flaxseed. — This makes a good soothing
drink, flaxseed tea, for sore throat. Pour
half a pint of boiling water upon a table-
spoonful of whole flaxseed, and stir it tip for
a few minutes. Then let it stand covered
for a few minutes more ; but do not put it
on the fire to boil, as that would bring out
the oil (linseed oil), which is not good to
drink. What is wanted in the tea is only
the mucilage of the seeds. Lemon-juice
and sugar✪ Flaxseed Tea added will make flaxseed tea
more agreeable.
Flaxseed meal makes a good warm and
soft poultice. Mix a sufiicient portion of
the meal with hot water✪ Flaxseed Poultice, into a mushy mass.
Spread this with a tablespoon on a piece of
thin flannel or old muslin ; then double in
half an inch of the edge all around, to keep
the poultice from oozing out. The best
508
way to have a poultice warm when put on,
is to vSpread it on a hot plate, close by the
person to whom it is to be applied. When
it is on, cover it at once with a piece of oiled
silk, oiled paper, or thin rubber cloth, to
keep the moisture in. Without this it will
dry up very soon.
A very little sweet oil or fresh lard put
over the surface of a poultice before apply-
ing it will make it more soothing and more
easily removed. For the latter purpose a
piece of tarletan or gauze may be laid over
it before it is applied. When pain in the
part is severe, a teaspoonful or two of laud-
anum may be poured over the poultice be-
fore putting it on.
Page 175 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1901. 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
Epsom Salts. — Sulphate of Magnesium , A very unpleasant medicine to the taste ; an active, cooling cathartic. It is (its nastniess apart) useful as a purgative in some inflammatory affections of strong people ; for
delicate patients, milder medicines are better. Dose, from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonfnl, dissolved in water.
Ergot : Spurred Rye. — A growth on grains of diseased rye plants. When taken into the stomach, it has a tendency to promote contraction of the womb and of the blood-vessels. On account of the first of these effects, it is given after child-birth, to aid in the expulsion of the placenta (afterbirth), and to check hemorrhage. Its causing contraction of the blood-vessels is a reason for its being prescribed for various hemorrhages, and also in chronic inflaniniations ; especially of the spinal marrow. The white of ergot is the preparation most employed. Dose, of it or of the fluid extract, from half a teaspoonful to two teaspoonfuls, in water.
Eucalyptus. — From the leaves of this Australian tree a tincture is made, as well as a solid extract, and the essential oil, eucalyptol. Lozenges of this drug are serviceable as a wanning expectorant, in bronchial catarrh. Eucalyptus is also useful in chronic irritability of the bladder. Dose of the tincture, a teaspoonful; extract, one to ten grains ; of eucalyptol, ten to twenty drops, in capsules or a mixture.
Fennel=Seed. — A very mild aromatic ; sometimes made into a tea for babies' colic ; more often added to senna tea, or fluid extract of senna, to keep the purgative medicine from griping the bowels.
Flaxseed. — This makes a good soothing drink, flaxseed tea, for sore throat. Pour half a pint of boiling water upon a tablespoonful of whole flaxseed, and stir it tip for a few minutes. Then let it stand covered for a few minutes more ; but do not put it on the fire to boil, as that would bring out the oil (linseed oil), which is not good to drink. What is wanted in the tea is only the mucilage of the seeds. Lemon-juice and sugar added will make flaxseed tea more agreeable.
Flaxseed meal makes a good warm and soft poultice. Mix a sufiicient portion of the meal with hot water, into a mushy mass. Spread this with a tablespoon on a piece of thin flannel or old muslin ; then double in half an inch of the edge all around, to keep the poultice from oozing out. The best
way to have a poultice warm when put on, is to Spread it on a hot plate, close by the person to whom it is to be applied. When it is on, cover it at once with a piece of oiled silk, oiled paper, or thin rubber cloth, to keep the moisture in. Without this it will dry up very soon.
A very little sweet oil or fresh lard put over the surface of a poultice before applying it will make it more soothing and more easily removed. For the latter purpose a piece of tarletan or gauze may be laid over it before it is applied. When pain in the part is severe, a teaspoonful or two of laudanum may be poured over the poultice before putting it on.
Records on this page
Flaxseed TeaFlaxseed Poultice