Kitabı oku: «The Toilet of Flora», sayfa 8
255. A Hepatic Salt, to preserve the Complexion
Take Roots of Agrimony, two pounds; Roots of Succory and Scorzonera, of each a pound; Bitter Costus and Turmeric, of each half a pound; Calamus Aromaticus and Rhapontic, of each a quarter of a pound; Wormwood, Southernwood, Sweet Maudlin, Harts-tongue, Fluellin, Liverwort, Fumitory, and Dodder of Thyme, of each three ounces; calcine the whole in a reverberatory furnace, and add Ashes of Rhubarb and Cassia Lignea of each an ounce and a half. Make a lee with these Ashes in a decoction of the Flowers of Liverwort, and extract the Salt according to art. This Salt causes the bile to flow freely, removes obstructions, cures the jaundice, takes away a sallow complexion, and imparts to the skin the ruddy vermillion bloom of health. Its dose is from twenty-four to thirty-six grains, in any convenient vehicle.
EYE-BROWS
256. To change the Eye-brows black
Rub them frequently with ripe Elder-berries. Some use burnt Cork, or Cloves burnt in the candle; others prefer the Black of Frankincense, Rosin, and Mastic. This Black will not melt nor come off by sweating.
MARKS OF THE SKIN
257. To efface Spots or Marks of the Mother, on any Part of the Body
Steep in Vinegar of Roses, or strong White Wine Vinegar, Borrage Roots stripped of their small adhering fibres, and let them stand to infuse twelve or fourteen hours. Bathe the part affected frequently with this Infusion, and in time the marks will totally disappear.
258. Or,
Take, towards the end of the month of May, the Roots and Leaves of the herb Bennet; distil them with a sufficient quantity of Water in an alembic, and frequently foment the marks with the distilled Water.
259. To take away Marks, and fill up the Cavities left after the Small-Pox
Take Oil of the four larger Cold Seeds, Oil of Eggs, and Oil of Sweet Almonds, of each half an ounce; Plantain and Nightshade Water, of each three quarters of an ounce; Litharge and Ceruss finely powdered and washed in Rose-water, of each a drachm. Put the Litharge and Ceruss into a brass pot, and incorporate them over a fire, with the Oils, adding the latter gradually, and stirring the mixture all the while. Then add by degrees also the Nightshade and Plantain Water, and thus form a Liniment, with which anoint the face of the patient as soon as the scabs of the Small-pox begin to scale off; and repeat the application as occasion may require.
COMPLEXION
260. Certain Methods to improve the Complexion
Brown ladies should frequently bathe themselves, and wash their faces with a few drops of Spirit of Wine, sometimes with Virgin's Milk, and the distilled Waters of Pimpernel, White Tansy, Bean Flowers, &c. These detersive penetrating applications, by degrees remove the kind of varnish that covers the skin, and thus render more free the perspiration, which is the only real cosmetic.
261. The Montpellier Toilet
For this purpose a new light-woven linen cloth must be procured, and cut of a proper size to make a toilet. The first step you take must be to wash the cloth perfectly clean in several different Waters, then spread it out to dry, and afterwards steep it twenty-four hours in Sweet-scented Water, viz. half Angelic, and half Rose-water. On removing the cloth out of the water, gently squeeze it, and hang it up to dry in the open air. Then lay on it the following composition.
Take dried Orange Flowers, Roots of Elecampane, and Florentine Orrice, of each half a pound; of Yellow Sanders, four ounces; of the Marc or Residuum of Angelic Water, two ounces; of Rose-wood and Sweet Flag, each an ounce; of Gum Labdanum, Calamus Aromaticus, and Cloves, each half an ounce; of Cinnamon, two drachms; beat all these ingredients into powder, and make them into a Paste with Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth dissolved in Angelic Water. Rub this Paste hard on both sides of your cloth, leaving on it the little bits that may adhere, because they render the surface more smooth. Afterwards hang up the cloth, and when half dry, again rub both sides, with a sponge wetted with Angelic Water, to render the cloth yet more smooth; after which dry it thoroughly, and fold it up. This cloth is generally lined with taffety, and covered with sattin, and is never enclosed within more than two pieces of some kind of thin silk, as Taffety, &c.
262. Sweet-scented Troches to correct a bad Breath
Take Frankincense, a scruple; Ambergrise, fifteen grains; Musk, seven grains: Oil of Lemons, six drops; double refined Sugar, an ounce. Form these ingredients into little Troches with Mucilage of Gum Arabic, made with Cinnamon Water. Hold one or two in the mouth as often occasion requires.
263. A curious Varnish for the Face
Fill into a bottle three quarters of a pint of good Brandy, infusing in it an ounce of Gum Sandarach, and half an ounce of Gum Benjamin. Frequently shake the bottle till the Gums are wholly dissolved, and then let it stand to settle.
Apply this varnish after having washed the face clean, and it will give the skin the finest lustre imaginable.
WARTS
264. A Medicine to cure Warts
Take the Leaves of Campanula, bruise them, and rub them upon the warts. Repeat this operation three or four times, if they prove obstinate; and they will afterwards soon waste away without leaving the least mark behind. This plant perhaps is not to be met with every where, but Botanists have described it by the following marks. Its leaves, say they, resemble those of the Blue Bell Flower, or Ivy, are stringy, composed of five lobes, without down, are small at the end, and have a loose flabby stalk.
265. Another
Take the inner Rind of a Lemon, steep it four and twenty hours in distilled Vinegar, and apply it to the warts. It must not be left on the part above three hours at a time, and is to be applied afresh every day.
266. Or,
Divide a Red Onion, and rub the warts well with it.
267. Or,
Anoint the warts with the milky Juice of the herb Mercury several times, and they will gradually waste away.
268. Another safe and experienced Method
Rub the warts with a pared Pippin, and a few days afterwards they will be found to disappear.
VINEGARS
269. Distilled Vinegar
Fill a stone cucurbit about three parts and a half full of White Wine Vinegar; place the vessel in a furnace so contrived as to contain three parts of the height of the cucurbit; mould the openings that remain between the sides and the upper part of the vessel with clay tempered with water; lute the vessel, fix on a receiver, and begin your distillation with a moderate fire, which is to be increased by degrees till about five sixths of the Vinegar are drawn off, which is called Distilled Vinegar. A small quantity of acid Liquor still remains in the cucurbit of the consistence of Honey, which if you think proper may be dried hard by the assistance of a vapour-bath. The Vinegar distilled from this substance is infinitely more acid, than that which was drawn off by the first process.
To rectify distilled Vinegar, put it into a clean vessel, setting it in the same degree of fire as at first to separate more phlegm, and in every thing proceed as before, till the bottom is almost dry. Neither the fire nor distillation however must be urged too far, for fear of giving an empyreumatic flavour to that which is already distilled.
Distilled Vinegar is used externally, mixed with Water, to wash the face: it is cooling, and takes away the troublesome little pimples that sometimes affect this part.
270. Distilled Lavender Vinegar
Put into a stone cucurbit any quantity of fresh-gathered Lavender Flowers picked clean from the Stalks; pour on them as much distilled Vinegar as is requisite to make the Flowers float; distil in a vapour-bath, and draw off about three fourths of the Vinegar.
In the same manner are prepared the Vinegars from all other vegetable substances. Compound Vinegars are made by mixing several aromatic substances together; observing only to bruise all hard woody ingredients, and to let them infuse a sufficient time in the Vinegar before you proceed to distillation.
Lavender Vinegar is of use for the Toilet; it is cooling, and when applied to the face, braces up the relaxed fibres of the skin.
271. Vinegar of the Four Thieves
Take of the tops of Sea and Roman Wormwood, Rosemary, Sage, Mint and Rue, of each an ounce and a half; Lavender Flowers two ounces, Calamus Aromaticus, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, and Garlic, of each a quarter of an ounce; Camphire, half an ounce; Red Wine Vinegar, a gallon. Choose all the foregoing ingredients dry, except the Garlic and Camphire; beat them into gross powder, and cut the Garlic into thin slices; put the whole into a matrass; pour the Vinegar on them, and digest the mixture in the sun, or in a gentle sand-heat, for three weeks or a month. Then strain off the Vinegar by expression, filter it through paper, and add the Camphire dissolved in a little rectified Spirit of Wine. Keep it for use in a bottle, tightly corked.
The Vinegar of the Four Thieves is antipestilential, and is used successfully as a preservative against contagious disorders. The hands and face are washed with it every day; the room fumigated with it, as are also the clothes, in order to secure the person from infection.
EYES
272. To cure watery Eyes
Prepare a decoction with the Leaves of Betony, Fennel Roots, and a little fine Frankincense, which use as an Eye-water.
273. Or,
Frequently bathe the Eyes with a decoction of Chervil.
274. Or,
Drop into the Eyes now and then a little Juice of Rue, mixed with clarified Honey.
275. An excellent Ophthalmic Lotion
Take White Vitriol and Bay Salt, of each an ounce; decrepitate them together, and when the detonation is over, pour on them, in an earthen pan, a pint of boiling Water or Rose-water. Stir them together, and let them stand some hours. A variously coloured skin will be formed on the surface, which carefully skim off, and put the clear liquor into a bottle for use.
This was communicated to the author as a great secret; and indeed he has found it by experience very safely to cool and repel those sharp humours that sometimes fall upon the Eyes, and to clear the latter of beginning films and specks. If too sharp, it may be diluted with a little Rose-water.
276. An Ophthalmic Poultice
Take half a pint of Alum Curd, and mix with it a sufficient quantity of Red Rose Leaves powdered, to give it a proper consistence. This is an excellent application for sore moist eyes, and admirably cools and represses defluxions.
277. A Poultice for inflamed Eyes
Take half a pint of a decoction of Linseed in Water, and as much Flour of Linseed as is sufficient to make it of a proper consistence. This Poultice is preferable to a Bread and Milk Poultice for inflamed Eyes, as it will not grow sour and acrid.
278. Sir Hans Sloane's Eye Salve
Take prepared Tutty, one ounce; prepared Bloodstone, two scruples; Aloes in fine powder, twelve grains; mix them well together in a marble mortar, with as much Viper's Fat as is requisite to bring the whole to the consistence of a soft salve. It is to be applied with a hair pencil, the eyes winking or a little opened. It has cured many whose eyes were covered with opake films and scabs, left by preceding disorders of those parts.
279. An Ophthalmic Fomentation
Take three quarters of an ounce of White Poppy Heads bruised with their Seeds, and boil them in Milk and Water, of each half a pint, till one half is wasted away; then dissolve in the strained Liquor a scruple of Sugar of Lead. This is an excellent application for moist, or inflamed Eyes.
280. A Simple Remedy to strengthen the Sight
Snuff up the Juice of Eyebright, and drop a little into the eyes. It not only clears and strengthen the sight, but takes off all specks, films, mists, or suffusions.
Herb Snuffs are also excellent to strengthen and preserve the sight; various Receipts for making which will afterwards be given.
SUPPLEMENT
Manner of taking out all Kinds of Spots and Stains from Linen and Stuffs; and various other useful Receipts.
281. To take Iron Mould out of Linen
Hold the Iron Mould over the Fume of Boiling Water for some time, then pour on the spot a little Juice of Sorrel and a little Salt, and when the cloth has thoroughly imbibed the Juice, wash it in Lee.
282. To take out Stains of Oil
Take Windsor Soap shaved thin, put it into a bottle half full of Lee, throw in the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, a little Cabbage Juice, two Yolks of new-laid Eggs, and Ox-gall at discretion, and lastly an ounce of powdered Tartar: then cork the bottle, and expose it to the heat of the noon-day sun four days, at the expiration of which time it becomes fit for use. Pour this Liquor on the stains, and rub it well on both sides of the cloth; then wash the stains with clear Water, or rather with the following soap, and when the cloth is dry, they will no longer appear.
283. Scowering Balls
Take soft Soap, or Fuller's Earth; mix it with Vine Ashes sifted through a fine sieve, and with powdered Chalk, Alum, and Tartar, of each equal parts; form the mass into balls, which dry in the shade. Their use is to rub on spots and stains, washing the spotted part afterwards in clear Water.
284. To take out Stains of Coomb
Put Butter on the stain, and rub it well with a piece of brown paper laid on a heated silver spoon; then wash the whole in the same manner as directed for spots of Wax.
285. To take out Stains of Urine
Wash the stained place well with boiled Urine, and afterwards wash it in clear Water.
286. To take out Stains on Cloth of whatever Colour
Take half a pound of Honey, the size of a Nut of Sal Armoniac, and the Yolk of an Egg; mix them together, and put a little of this mixture on the stain, letting it remain till dry. Then wash the cloth with fair Water, and the stains will disappear. Water impregnated with mineral Alkaline Salt or Soda, Ox-gall, and Black Soap, is also very good to take out spots of grease.
287. To take out Spots of Ink
As soon as the accident happens, wet the place with Juice of Sorrel, or Lemon, or with Vinegar, and the best hard White Soap.
288. To take out Spots of Pitch and Turpentine
Pour a good deal of Sallad Oil on the stained place, and let it dry on it four and twenty hours; then rub the inside of the cloth with the Scowering Ball and warm Water.
289. To take out Spots of Oil on Sattin and other Stuffs, and on Paper
If the spot be not of long standing, take the Ashes of Sheep's Trotters calcined, and apply them hot both under and upon the spot. Lay on it something heavy, letting it remain all night; and if in the morning the spot is not entirely effaced, renew the application repeatedly till it wholly disappear.
290. To take out Spots on Silk
Rub the Spots with Spirit of Turpentine; this Spirit exhaling, carries off with it the Oil that causes the Spot.
291. Balls to take out Stains
Take an ounce of Quick-lime, half a pound of Soap, and a quarter of a pound of White Clay; moisten the whole with Water, and make it into little balls, with which rub the stains, and afterwards wash them with fair water.
292. To clean Gold and Silver Lace
Take the Gall of an Ox and of a Pike, mixed well together in fair Water, and rub the gold or silver with this composition.
293. To restore to Tapestry its original Lustre
Shake well, and thoroughly clean the tapestry; then rub it twice over with Chalk, which, after remaining seven or eight hours each time, is to be brushed off with a hard brush; the tapestry being likewise well beaten with a stick, and shaked.
294. To clean Turkey Carpets
To revive the colour of a Turkey Carpet, beat it well with a stick, till the dust is all got out; then with Lemon or Sorrel Juice take out the spots of ink, if the carpet be stained with any; wash it in cold Water, and afterwards shake out all the Water from the threads of the carpet. When it is thoroughly dry, rub it all over with the Crumb of a hot Wheaten Loaf; and if the weather is very fine, hang it out in the open air a night or two.
295. To refresh Tapestry, Carpets, Hangings, or Chairs
Beat the dust out of them on a dry day as clean as possible, and brush them well with a dry brush. Afterwards rub them well over with a good lather of Castile Soap, laid on with a brush. Wash off the froth with common Water; then wash the tapestry, &c. with Alum Water. When the cloth is dry, you will find most of the colours restored. Those that are yet too faint, touch up with a pencil dipped in suitable colours, and indeed you may run over the whole piece in the same manner with water colours, mixed with weak gum water, and, if well done, it will cause the tapestry, &c. to look at a distance like new.
296. To take Wax out of Silk or Camblet
Take Soft Soap, rub it well on the spots of wax, dry it in the sun till it grows very hot, then wash the spotted part with cold Water, and the wax will be entirely taken out.
297. To take Wax out of Velvet of all Colours except Crimson
Take a Crummy Wheaten Loaf, cut it in two, toast it before the fire, and while very hot, apply it to the part spotted with wax. Then apply another piece of toasted Bread hot as before, and continue to repeat this application till the wax is entirely taken out.
298. To wash Gold or Silver Work on Linen, or any other Stuff, so as to look like new
Take a pound of Ox-gall; Honey and Soap, of each three ounces; Florentine Orrice in fine powder, three ounces; mix the whole in a glass vessel into a Paste, and expose it to the sun during ten days; then make a decoction of Bran, and strain it clear. Plaster over with your bitter Paste, the places you want to clean, and afterwards wash off the Paste with the Bran-water, till the latter is no longer tinged. Then wipe with a clean linen cloth the places you have washed; cover them with a clean napkin, dry them in the sun, press and glaze, and the work will look as well as when new.
299. To take Spots out of Silken or Woollen Stuffs
Take a sufficient quantity of the finest Starch, wet it in an earthen pipkin with Brandy, rub a little on the spots, let it dry on them, and then brush it off; repeat this operation till the spots are wholly taken out. You must be careful to beat and brush well the place on which the Starch was applied.
300. To take Stains of Oil out of Cloth
Take Oil of Tartar, pour a little on the spot, immediately wash the place with warm Water, and two or three times after with cold Water, and the spot will entirely disappear.
301. To take Stains out of White Cloth
Boil an ounce of Alum in a gallon and a half of Water, for half an hour, then add a piece of White Soap, and half a ounce more of Alum, and after it has stood in cold infusion two days, wash with this mixture stains in any kind of white cloth.
302. To take Stains out of Crimson Velvet, and coloured Velvets
Take a quart of strong Lee made with Vine Ashes, dissolve in it half an ounce of Alum; and when the mixture has settled, strain it through a linen cloth. Then take half a drachm of soft Soap, and the same quantity of Castile Soap, a drachm of Alum, half a drachm of Crude Sal Armoniac, a scruple of common Salt, a little Loaf Sugar, Juice of Celandine, and the Gall of a Calf; mix the whole well, and strain off the Liquor. When you want to use it, take a little Brazil Wood Shavings with some Scarlet Flocks, boil them in this Liquor, and when strained off, it will be very good to take spots or stains out of crimson velvet or cloth. For velvets or cloths of other colours, you dye your Liquor of the proper colour, by boiling in it some Flocks of the same colour as the cloth you intend to clean.
303. A Soap that takes out all manner of Spots and Stains
Take the Yolks of six Eggs, half a table spoonful of bruised Salt, and a pound of Venetian Soap; mix the whole together with the Juice of Beet-roots, and form it into round balls, that are to be dried in the shade. The method of using this Soap is to wet with fair Water the stained part of the cloth, and rub both sides of it well with this Soap; then wash the cloth in Water, and the stain will no longer appear.
