Miss Leslie's Lady's New Receipt-Book Part 24

The preparation of phosphorus called Levy's Exterminator, and which is to be had at the druggists', is very destructive to c.o.c.kroaches, rats, and mice. Cover with it a slice of bread and b.u.t.ter, then sprinkle on some brown sugar, and lay it in places where these vermin have been seen.

A mixture in the proportion of three table-spoonfuls of meal, and one table-spoonful of red lead, wetted to a thin paste with West India mola.s.ses, if laid on old plates, and set about their haunts, is very efficacious in expelling c.o.c.kroaches.

These remedies are all good; and if used perseveringly and always resumed, as soon as the c.o.c.kroaches begin to appear again, there will be but little trouble with these detestable insects. Nothing has yet been found that can banish them from a house so effectually as to preclude all danger of their ever returning. But much comfort is gained by even a temporary relief from them.

If an insect gets into the ear it may be destroyed by pouring in a little sweet oil. They have been sometimes enticed out, by applying to the ear a piece of ripe peach or apple.

SMALL c.o.c.kROACHES.--Many houses are much infested with small brown c.o.c.kroaches, which are especially troublesome and disgusting from their disposition to get into bureaus, wardrobes, trunks, and even band-boxes.

They will soon depart, if bunches of pennyroyal (as fresh as you can get it, and frequently renewed) are laid in all the places where they have appeared, or are likely to come. Pennyroyal is to be generally bought in market at the very trifling cost of one cent a bunch. At any season it can be had at the druggists', and at the garden stores. Rags dipped in oil of pennyroyal, and laid about their haunts, will frequently expel these c.o.c.kroaches. But every one that is seen should be immediately killed, and not merely brushed off, to run to another place. There is little difficulty in keeping a house free from c.o.c.kroaches and all other vermin, if the remedies are applied in time, and with perseverance.

The very bad practice of using old bricks for cellar-walls and back-buildings, is the chief cause of new houses becoming immediately infested with c.o.c.kroaches, &c. They have in this way been introduced at once into some very elegant mansions in Philadelphia, where old bricks have been used for the cellars; these bricks having originally belonged to old almshouses, long since pulled down. To buy such bricks, however cheap, is a miserable economy.

TO DESTROY CRICKETS.--Mix some powdered a.r.s.enic with roasted apple, and put it into the cracks and holes whence the crickets issue. It will effectually destroy them. And c.o.c.kroaches also.

TO EXPEL FLEAS.--Get some pennyroyal. Having stripped the leaves from the stalks, stuff them into little bags, made of muslin or thin calico, and sewed up all round. Lay these bags among the bedding, and the pennyroyal will send away the fleas. If more convenient, sprinkle the bedding with oil or essence of pennyroyal. When travelling, it is well to take with you some little bags of pennyroyal, in case you should have to sleep in a bed infested with fleas.

Camphor is also a good remedy against fleas.

Pennyroyal will generally expel the small brown c.o.c.kroaches, if bunches of it are kept constantly in the closets, wardrobes, bureaus, &c. It is likewise an excellent remedy against wood-ticks; keeping some of it about you, if obliged to go into places where these intolerable insects abound. When the wood-ticks fasten on the skin, brush them with a bunch of pennyroyal, and they will fall off immediately.

TO DESTROY BED-BUGS.--Among the numerous ways of destroying bugs, there is none better than to wash carefully, with a solution of corrosive sublimate in spirits of wine, all the cracks and crevices of the bedstead, at least once a week; taking care to throw out directly whatever may remain in the bowl or saucer, which should at once be washed clean in hot water. Corrosive sublimate is a most deadly poison, if even a small quant.i.ty is swallowed. One of the best remedies for it, is to take _immediately_ a large quant.i.ty of sweet oil.

Mercurial ointment, rubbed once a week into all the joints and crevices of the bedstead, is an excellent destroyer of bugs. It can best be rubbed in with the finger. Leave it on the bedstead without wiping off; and do not put on the bedding till evening.

TO DESTROY FLIES.--Get, at a druggist's, some Egyptian or Fly-killing paper. Lay a piece of it on an old plate, and keep it moist by wetting it frequently with water. It will soon be found covered with dead flies.

Shake them off, and wet the paper again.

Or mix together a table-spoonful of powdered black pepper, the same quant.i.ty of brown sugar, and as much milk as will make it into a thin paste. Set it about on saucers. It will attract the flies, and they will die on eating it.

TO DESTROY GARDEN ANTS.--Mix together half a pound of flour of brimstone, and four ounces of potash. Put them into an iron pot or pan, and stir it over the fire till they are dissolved, and well incorporated. Then pound them to a powder. Put the powder into a gla.s.s jar, with a cover, and keep it for use. Infuse some of this powder in a cup of water, and sprinkle with it the places that are infested by ants.

They will soon disappear.

TO EXPEL SMALL ANTS.--Mix a tea-spoonful of tartar emetic in two table-spoonfuls of mola.s.ses. Stir this into a small saucer of water, and set it where you have seen the ants. Let it remain all night; and in the morning you will find a great number of ants lying dead on the surface of the water, and the others will have been frightened away. Skim off the dead ants, and set the saucer in any other place where these insects have appeared. This we know, by experience, to be an excellent remedy for the little ants with which so many houses are infested, and which swarm over sweet things.

MICE.--An excellent preparation for expelling mice and rats is Levy's Exterminator, spread upon bread or cheese, and laid about the places they frequent. It is a preparation of phosphorus; and after one mouse has eaten it and (of course) died, the others will disappear. It is to be had of most druggists; and will also destroy c.o.c.kroaches, by spreading it on bits of cake or something similar, and laying it at night on the kitchen hearth, and in the closets. We highly recommend it.

If you propose to destroy a mouse by a.r.s.enic spread on bread and b.u.t.ter, sprinkle on the a.r.s.enic a drop or two of oil of rhodium, and the mouse will unfailingly be attracted to the poison. Place beside it a saucer of water, and as soon as he has eaten of the poisoned bread and b.u.t.ter, he will drink, and then die on the spot.

Oil of aniseed, spread on the bait, will attract them into a trap.

TO DESTROY CATERPILLARS.--Mix together twelve ounces of powdered quick-lime, two ounces of snuff, two ounces of fine salt, and two ounces of powdered sulphur. Strew this mixture over the caterpillars, or dissolve it in five gallons of water; keep it in a convenient vessel, and sprinkle with it places where they abound.

Any garden insects may be destroyed in this manner.

TO DESTROY WORMS IN GARDEN WALKS.--Pour into the worm-holes a strong lye, made of wood-ashes, lime, and water. Or, if more convenient, use, for this purpose, strong salt and water.

TO DESTROY THE BEE-MILLER.--This insect, whose night-visits are so destructive to bees, may be destroyed by mixing a large wine-gla.s.s of vinegar with a pint of water, that has been made very sweet with honey.

Set it in a bowl on the top of the hive, or beside it. It will attract the miller, and then drown him.

TO MAKE THE HANDS SMOOTH AND SOFT.--For this purpose there is nothing nicer than the beautiful, fragrant, and delicate composition called Almond Cream, (Creme d'Amandes.) This almond cream (which must not be confounded with another preparation called Amandine) is, when fresh, very soft and white, and resembles ice-cream in appearance. To use it--first dip your hands into a basin of water, and then put on one of the palms a very small portion of the almond cream, (not larger than a grain of indian corn,) and with the other hand rub it to a lather. Rub it well into your hands and all over them before you wash it off. We know, by experience, that this is the best of all preparations for keeping the hands in nice order. If used every day, it will effectually prevent the skin from chapping in cold weather; and will remove any roughness caused by incidental employments, or by putting the hands into salt water. We earnestly recommend it. Keep it closely covered. If you live where it can be easily procured, do not get more than one gallicup at a time, as almond cream is always best when freshly made. Exposure to the air hardens and discolours it.

Another very excellent article for the hands is sand-soap, or sand wash-b.a.l.l.s,--a preparation of soap mixed with fine sea-sand. There is nothing superior to it for was.h.i.+ng the hands of boys, and of all persons whose business obliges them to use much manual exertion. Also, the hands of the most delicate lady will be rendered still softer and smoother by the daily use of sand-soap. Try it--but not for the face or neck.

Sand-soap is made by shaving down and melting some white soap, and then stirring into it, while warm, an equal quant.i.ty of fine dry sea-sand.

Put it, warm, into square moulds, or roll portions of the mixture between your hands, so as to form b.a.l.l.s. Set them in a dark place to dry gradually.

TO REMOVE CORNS FROM BETWEEN THE TOES.--These corns are generally more painful than any others, and are frequently situated as to be almost inaccessible to the usual remedies. Wetting them several times a day with hartshorn will in most cases cure them. Try it.

TO ALLAY PAIN IN THE FEET WHEN CAUSED BY FATIGUE.--If your feet become painful from walking or standing too long, put them as soon as you can into warm salt and water, mixed in the proportion of two large handfuls of salt to a gallon of water. Sea-water made warm is still better, if you can conveniently procure it. Keep your feet and ankles in the salt water till it begins to feel cool, rubbing them well with your hands.

Then wipe them dry, and rub them long and hard with a coa.r.s.e thick towel, or with a hair glove. Where the feet are tender and easily fatigued, it is an excellent practice to go through this process regularly every night, or every morning, or both; also employing it without fail always on coming home from a walk. With perseverance this has cured neuralgia in the feet.

To prevent any roughness that may ensue after taking your hands out of the brine, wash them immediately with soap; or what is still better, with almond cream, first dipping them into cold water, and then rubbing on a little of the above composition till it forms a lather. Almond cream is much used by gentlemen as a shaving soap, but it is also a very pleasant and useful article for a ladies was.h.i.+ng-stand, being excellent for smoothing the hands, and preventing their chopping in cold weather.

It is well to get but a small box at a time, as exposure to the air somewhat dries and discolours it. It should be kept closely covered.

Chilblains or frost-bitten feet may be cured or prevented by dipping the feet night and morning into _cold_ water. Then taking them out and wiping them dry with a coa.r.s.e towel. Persevere, and you will find the remedy effectual.

RELIEF FOR RHEUMATIC PAINS.--Bathe the afflicted part at night and morning, and frequently through the day, with warm salt and water, (mixed in the proportion of two handfuls of salt to a quart of water,) rubbing it well into the skin. Do this near the fire, or in a warm room; avoiding exposure to a draught of air. Sea-water heated over the fire will answer the purpose still better.

A table-spoonful of Hopkins's Compound Syrup of Sarsaparilla, taken thrice a day, and persevered in for six or eight weeks, has frequently cured a chronic rheumatism.

Swaim's Panacea has effected wonderful cures in rheumatism of long standing.

RELIEF FOR A SPRAINED ANKLE.--Wash the ankle very frequently with _cold_ salt and water, which is far better than warm vinegar or decoctions of herbs. Keep your foot as cool as possible to prevent inflammation; and sit with it elevated on a high cus.h.i.+on. Live on very low diet, and take every day some cooling medicine; for instance epsom salts. By observing these directions _only_, a sprained ankle has been cured in a few days.

BATHING THE FEET.--In bathing the feet of a sick person, use at the beginning, tepid or lukewarm water. Have ready in a tea-kettle or covered pitcher, some _hot_ water, of which pour in a little at intervals; so as gradually to increase the temperature of the foot bath, till it becomes as warm as it can be borne with comfort; after which, the feet should be taken out before the water cools. This is a much better way than to put them at first into very warm water, and let it grow cool before they are taken out. Clean stockings, well warmed, should be ready to put on the feet as soon as they are out of the water, and have been rubbed dry with a flannel.

CURE FOR A RUN-ROUND.--That disease of the finger or toe commonly called a _run-round_, may be easily cured by a remedy so simple that persons who have not seen it tried are generally incredulous as to its efficacy.

The first symptoms of the complaint are heat, pain, swelling, and redness at the top of the nail. The inflammation, if not checked, will soon go round the whole of the nail, causing intense pain, accompanied by a festering or gathering of yellow matter, and ending in the loss of the nail. To prevent all this, as soon as the first symptoms of swelling and inflammation commence, lay the finger flat on the table, and let the nail be scratched, all over with the sharp point of a pair of scissors, or a penknife. This excoriation must be done first crossways, and then lengthways, so as thoroughly to scratch up the _whole surface_ of the nail, leaving it rough and white. This little operation does not give the slightest pain; and we have never, _in a single instance_, known it fail. By next morning the finger will be well. If done before the festering commences, it is a _certain_ and speedy cure. And it will even succeed at a later stage of the disease, by first opening with a needle that part of the swelling where the yellow matter has begun to appear; and afterwards by scratching up the surface of the nail with scissors or penknife.

Hard h.o.r.n.y warts on the hands can be cured _positively_, and without pain, by touching their tops twice a day or more with a clean quill pen, dipped in aquafortis. The wart, after a few applications of the aquafortis, will turn brown, and crumble till it falls off.