Mother's Remedies - Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers - of the United States and Canada

Thomas Jefferson Ritter

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• Publié par: zaun
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 16
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mother's Remedies, by T. J. Ritter
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Title: Mother's Remedies
Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remedies from Mothers
of the United States and Canada
Author: T. J. Ritter
Release Date: January 1, 2006 [EBook #17439]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTHER'S REMEDIES ***
Produced by Don Kostuch[Transcriber's Notes]
Some of the suggestions in this book may be helpful or at least have a placebo effect.
Beware of the many recipes that include kerosene (coal oil), turpentine, ammonium
chloride, lead, lye (sodium hydroxide), strychnine, arsenic, mercury, creosote, sodium
phosphate, opium, cocaine and other illegal, poisonous or corrosive items. Many recipes
do not specify if it is to be taken internally or topically (on the skin). There is an extreme
preoccupation with poultices (applied to the skin, 324 references) and "keeping the
bowels open" (1498 references, including related terms).
I view this material as a window into the terror endured by mothers and family members
when a child or adult took ill. The doctors available (if you could afford one) could offer
little more than this book. The guilt of failing to cure the child was probably easier to
endure than the helplessness of doing nothing.
There are many recipes for foods I fondly remember eating as a child.
Note the many recipes for a single serving that involve lengthy and labor-intensive
preparation. Refrigeration was uncommon and the temperature of iceboxes was well
above freezing, so food had to be consumed quickly.
Many recipes use uncooked meat and eggs that can lead to several diseases.
Obvious typographical errors have been corrected but contemporary spelling and usage
are unchanged.
The author claims the material is directed toward non-medical "family" members, but
many passages are obviously copied from medical textbooks. The following glossary of
unfamiliar (to me) terms is quite lengthy and does not include incomprehensible (to me)
medical terms and many words and names I could not find in several reference books.
The book's own 16 page dictionary is on page 893.
I recommend the article on "hydrophobia" (page 241) as an interesting history of the
Pasture treatment.
Don KostuchTranscriber's Dictionary
These entries are absent or brief in the original dictionary on page 893. A short cooking
dictionary is on page 831. Check there for items not found here.
acetanilide (also acetanilid)
White crystalline compound, C H NH(COCH ), formerly used to relieve pain and6 5 3
reduce fever. It has been replaced because of toxicity.
Aconite
Various, usually poisonous perennial herbs of the genus Aconitum, having tuberous roots,
palmately lobed leaves, blue or white flowers with large hoodlike upper sepals, and an
aggregate of follicles. The dried leaves and roots of these plants yield a poisonous alkaloid
that was formerly used medicinally. Also called monkshood, wolfsbane.
actinomycosis (lumpy jaw)
Inflammatory disease of cattle, hogs, and sometimes humans, caused by
actinomyces; causes lumpy tumors of the mouth, neck, chest, and abdomen.
Addison's disease
Caused by partial or total failure of adrenocortical function; characterized by a
bronze-like skin color and mucous membranes, anemia, weakness, and low blood
pressure.
ad libitum
At the discretion of the performer. Giving license to alter or omit a part.
affusion
Pouring on of liquid, as in baptism.
ague
Alternating periods of chills, fever, and sweating. Used in reference to the fevers
associated with malaria.
aletris farinosa (Colicroot, star grass, blackroot, blazing star, and unicorn root )
Bitter American herb of the Bloodwort family, with small yellow or white flowers in
a long spike (Aletris farinosa and A. aurea).
algid
Cold; chilly.
alkanet
European perennial herb (Alkanna tinctoria) having cymes of blue flowers and red
roots. The red dye extracted from the root. Plants of the Eurasian genus Anchusa,
having blue or violet flowers grouped on elongated cymes.
allyl
Univalent, unsaturated organic radical C H .3 5
aloin
Bitter, yellow crystalline compound from aloe, used as a laxative.alum
Double sulfates of a trivalent metal such as aluminum, chromium, or iron and a
univalent metal such as potassium or sodium, especially aluminum potassium sulfate,
AlK(SO ) 12H O, widely used in industry as clarifiers, hardeners, and purifiers and4 2 2
medicinally as topical astringents and styptics.
anemonin
Acrid poisonous compound containing two lactone groups; obtained from plants of
the genus Anemone and genus Ranunculus, containing the buttercups.
aneurysm (aneurism)
Localized, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by disease or weakening
of the vessel wall.
animadversion
Strong criticism. Critical or censorious remark:
anise
Aromatic Mediterranean herb (Pimpinella anisum) in the parsley family, cultivated
for its seed-like fruits and the oil; used to flavor foods, liqueurs, and candies.
anodyne
Relieves pain.
antipyrine (antipyrin, phenazone)
Analgesic and antipyretic (reduces fever) C H N O formerly used, but now largely11 12 2
replaced by less toxic drugs such as aspirin.
antrum
Cavity or chamber, especially in a bone. Sinus in the bones of the upper jaw, opening
into the nasal cavity.
apomorphine
Poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, C H NO , derived from morphine and used to17 17 2
induce vomiting.
arnica
Perennial herbs of the genus Arnica. Tincture of the dried flower heads of the
European species A. montana, applied externally to relieve the pain and
inflammation of bruises and sprains.
articular
Relating to joints: the articular surfaces of bones.
asafetida (asafoetida)
Fetid (offensive odor) gum resin of Asian plants of the genus Ferula (especially F.
assafoetida, F. foetida, or F. narthex). It has a strong odor and taste, and was
formerly used as an antispasmodic and a general prophylactic against disease.atresia
Absence or closure of a normal body orifice or tubular passage such as the anus,
intestine, or external ear canal. Degeneration and resorption of one or more ovarian
follicles before a state of maturity has been reached.
atropine
Poisonous, bitter, crystalline alkaloid, C H NO , obtained from belladonna and17 23 3
related plants. Used to dilate the pupils of the eyes and as an antispasmodic.
bainmarie
Large pan of hot water in which smaller pans may be placed to cook food slowly or
to keep food warm.
barberry
Shrubs of the genus Berberis having small yellow flowers, and red, orange, or
blackish berries.
baryta
A barium compounds, such as barium sulfate.
baste
Sew loosely with large running stitches to hold together temporarily.
batiste
Fine, plain-woven fabric made from various fibers and used especially for clothing.
bedizen
Ornament or dress in a showy or gaudy manner.
belladonna (deadly nightshade)
Poisonous Eurasian perennial herb (Atropa belladonna) with solitary, nodding,
purplish-brown, bell-shaped flowers and glossy black berries. An alkaloidal extract
of this plant used in medicine.
benne (sesame)
Tropical Asian plant (Sesamum indicum) bearing small flat seeds used as food and
as a source of oil.
benzoin
Balsamic resin obtained from certain tropical Asian trees of the genus Styrax and used in
perfumery and medicine. Also called benjamin, gum benjamin, gum benzoin. A white or
yellowish crystalline compound, C H O , derived from benzaldehyde.14 12 2
berberine
Bitter-tasting yellow alkaloid, C H NO , from several plants such as goldenseal.20 19 5
Used medically as an antipyretic and antibacterial agent.
bergamot
Small tree (Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia) grown in southern Italy for its sour
citrus fruits. The rinds yield an aromatic oil (bergamot oil) used in perfume.beri-beri
Deficiency of thiamine, endemic in eastern and southern Asia and characterized by
neurological symptoms, cardiovascular abnormalities, and edema.
Berserker
Ancient Norse warriors legendary for working themselves into a frenzy before a
battle and fighting with reckless savagery and insane fury.
bijouterie
Collection of trinkets or jewelry; decorations.
bilious
Relating to bile. Excess secretion of bile. Gastric distress caused by a disorder of the
liver or gallbladder. Resembling bile, especially in color: a bilious green. Peevish
disposition; ill-humored.
bistort
Eurasian perennial herb (Polygonum bistorta) with cylindrical spikes of pink flowers
and a rhizome used as an astringent in folk medicine.
blue flag
Several irises with blue or blue-violet flowers, especially Iris versicolor of eastern
North America.
blue stone (blue vitriol, blue copperas, chalcanthite)
Hydrated blue crystalline form of copper sulfate.
bobbinet
Machine-woven net fabric with hexagonal meshes.
boil
Painful, circumscribed pus-filled inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
usually c