Page:The White House Cook Book.djvu/579

 HEALTH-SUGGESTIONS. 537

These recipes of Grandmother's are all old, tried medicines, and are more effectual than most of those that are advertised, as they have been thoroughly tried, and proved reliable.

GRANDMOTHER'S FAMILY SPRING BITTERS.

MANDRAKE root one ounce, dandelion root one ounce, burdock root one ounce, yellow dock root one ounce, prickly ash berries two ounces, marsh mallow one ounce, turkey rhubarb half an ounce, gentian one ounce, English camomile flowers one ounce, red clover tops two ounces.

Wash the herbs and roots ; put them into an earthen vessel, pour over two quarts of water that has been boiled and cooled ; let it stand over night and soak ; in the morning set it on the back of the stove, and steep it five hours ; it must not boil, but be nearly ready to boil. Strain it through a cloth, and add half a pint of good gin. Keep it in a cool place. Half a wine-glass taken as a dose twice a day.

This is better than all the patent blood medicines that are in the market a superior blood purifier, and will cure almost any malig- nant sore, by taking according to direction, and washing the sore with a strong tea of red raspberry leaves steeped, first washing the sore with castile soap, then drying with a soft cloth, and washing it with the strong tea of red raspberry leaves.

GRANDMOTHER'S EYE-WASH.

TAKE three fresh eggs and break them into one quart of clear, cold rain-water; stir until thoroughly mixed; bring to a boil on a slow fire, stirring often ; then add half an ounce of sulphate of zinc (white vitrol) ; continue the boiling for two minutes, then set it off the fire. Take the curd that settles at the bottom of this and apply to the eye at night with a bandage. It will speedily draw out all fever and sore- ness. Strain the liquid through a cloth and use for bathing the eyes occasionally. This is the best eye- water ever made for man or beast. I have used it for twenty years without knowing it to fail.

HUNTER'S PILLS.

THESE pills can be manufactured at home and are truly reliable, having been sold and used for more than fifty years in Europe. The ingredients may be procured at almost any druggist's. The articles should be all in the powder. Saffron one grain, rue one grain, Scot

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