THE FAMILY MEDICINE CASE.

HOW TO CONSTRUCT IT.

In the first place keep your medicine case out of the children's reach, and in a dry, cool place. Have drawers at the bottom large enough to hold pieces of flannel and nice, soft old linen rags (such as old linen handkerchiefs) and cotton batting, lint, two salt bags, a rubber water bag, bandages, large pins, syringe, etc. Have also one or two smaller compartments in one of the drawers for medicine dropper, camel's-hair brushes, sponges, arnica, court plaster, scissors, etc.

The two lower shelves should be wider apart than the upper ones, for large bottles, and the space between the higher shelves need not be more than five or six inches. Place all poisons such as tincture aconite root, zinc sodine, arnica and carbolic acid, on the top shelf.

WHAT TO PUT IN IT.

Sweet oil, camphorated oil, spirits of camphor, castor oil, sweet spirits of nitre, tinc. of iron, syrup ipecac, ipecac powder, tinc. arnica, turpentine, spiced syrup rhubarb, alcohol, carbolized and plain cosmoline, tinc. aconite root, tinc iodine, paregoric, ammonia, cream tartar, brandy, glycerine, powdered borax, mustard for plasters and foot baths, lime water. Children's laxatives, such as castoria, cream tartar and Rochelle salts.

Have a pocket made on the inside of the door of the case to hold a teaspoon and tablespoon, and keep a tumbler on the lower shelf of your case, also a wide-mouthed bottle containing sugar. This precaution may save you from running up and downstairs during the night. Another precaution: Have a pair of warm slippers at hand, to slip on if necessity compels you to leave your bed at night. You will then be able to fall asleep as soon as you return to bed, which you could not do with cold feet.

Gargle for a Sore Throat. --Take equal parts of glycerine and tincture of iron, mix well in a bottle. Use half a teaspoonful in a little water as a gargle; no harm done if you happen do swallow a part of it. Dose for children, five drops in a teaspoonful of water.

If you notice molecules or little white specks on the tonsils this gargle is especially good and often prevents diphtheria. Gargle every two or three hours, an hour before meals or an hour after. You may swab the throat with this occasionally. If the patient coughs at the same time, rub the chest well with equal parts of camphorated oil and turpentine; when using at bed time heat the mixture. The way to do this is to mix it in a bottle and set the bottle in hot water, heat a flannel also and saturate it with the oil, lay across the chest, pretty high up, so as to cover the lower part of the throat at the same time, pin carefully to the night dress, so as to keep it in place. If the tonsils are much swollen rub the mixture along the glands and back of the ear; put a piece of heated flannel over the ears, fastened on top of the head. Do this two or three nights in succession if necessary.

TO MOTHERS.

Croup. --As your children are liable to take severe colds, coughs, croup, etc., always remember that "an ounce of preventive is better than a pound of cure." This is a true saying, and that is principally what I wish to talk about.

Croup, how the words frighten young mothers! And well it may; still, when attended to in time, and with proper treatment and care, there need not be any worry and fright. Infants rarely have croup, at least not until about twelve months old, but from that time until the age of two years they are more liable to take it than at any other period. The liability lessens after two years, but there are exceptional cases that have croup up to ten years. Croup is more likely to prevail when we have strong easterly winds.

To prevent our little ones from taking serve colds at night, which they often do, have long Canton flannel night drawers made for them which button up to the throat and cover the feet, yes, completely cover the feet. In order to do this the bottom of the drawers must fit like a sock. Insist on having them made in this way, for I speak from experience. I happened to read somewhere that is was injurious to have the feet covered at night; I cut them off for one of the children under my care, and behold, that very night he took a severe cold, for children will kick off the bed-clothes at night, no matter what you do, so try my way. Have the feet left on the night drawers, and do not cover your children too heavily at night. Leave a window open somewhere to ventilate the room. In the mornings throw open your windows, top and bottom, about the time that you go to breakfast. In this way the rooms will be ventilated thoroughly. Do this every day.

Keep a four-ounce bottle of turpentine in your medicine case, also one of ipecac, which will have to be renewed every two months, as it spoils easily. The turpentine will be of use very frequently. As soon as your children, young or old, take a cold, saturate a flannel with turpentine and pin to the night dress, across the chest, so that when they sleep they will inhale it. Remember to pin on the outside of the dress, for if you bring it in contact with the bare skin it will be apt to burn the little ones. You may rub the chest with it by diluting it with camphorated oil, using say half of each; rub well over the chest, under the arms and across the back.
You will also find this an excellent remedy when children complain of pains in their bowels; then heat the turpentine by setting the bottle in hot water, mix sweet oil with it, about equal parts, rub the stomach well with it and put hot flannels across the bowels, have them hot and dry; relief is sure to follow.

Croup almost always comes on during the night, especially at midnight. When you have once heard a croupy child cough you will find no difficulty in detecting croup the second time. When a very young child is hoarse there is every reason to believe that it is going to have the croup. If a child breathes heavily and has a "crowing" cough you should send for the family physician at once, especially if you are inexperienced. In the meantime give small doses of ipecac, for the child must be made to vomit.

Keep up the temperature of the room, do not let the fire get low at night; have hot water steaming in the room the child sleeps in, which is easily done if you have a gas stove. Lime water is still better. The temperature of the room must be kept above seventy-five degrees. Remember to keep ipecac in the house, and saturate flannels with turpentine and camphorated oil mixed; they may be heated separately and then mixed in a saucer. Apply to the chest.

For an ordinary cough, small doses of ipecac, say from five to ten drops, every hour or two, will often rid your child of a cough. And if you possibly can get your children to take cod liver oil every winter, say from the first of October to the first of April, the first thirteen years of their lives; it will regulate their whole system and strengthen them, it will be like giving them so much beef tea. Children from five to ten years old should take a teaspoonful three times a day, after meals, and older ones a tablespoonful night and morning, after meals. In order to get children to take the oil yon must bribe them to take it by giving them nice fruit or other delicacies. When they are old enough they will crave it, and through it you will save many a doctor's bill.

[Editorial note: Handwritten inscription]

Eczema Ointment --

Red Oxide Mercury 1/8 oz.
Flake White 1/4 oz.
Powd. Camphor 1/4 oz.
Yellow Vaseline 2 oz.

VALUABLE HINTS.

Cold. --To break up a bad cold, take a strong mustard foot-bath on going to bed, wipe the feet quickly and dry, then take a strong, hot lemonade. In the morning dose yourself with quinine, and keep it up; take a dozen pills, two grains each, in two days.

Diphtheretic Sore Throat. --Put the patient to bed immediately and let him gargle with a mixture of glycerine and tincture of iron, equal parts, say a teaspoonful of this mixture and two teaspoonfuls of water. You may also swab the throat with it every two hours, using it pure. If the patient have much fever give aconite every two hours. Mix six drops of aconite with twelve teaspoonfuls of water in a goblet, and give a teaspoonful of this mixture every two hours until the fever is allayed. A strong mustard foot-bath is advisable. If the patient's bowels move too often give mild doses of paregoric after each movement. When the fever has gone down give quinine every two hours for three or four days. Under fifteen years of age, one grain capsules. Keep on a strictly milk diet, and when the fever has disappeared give brandy and milk as a stimulant, say one teaspoonful of brandy to six of milk or cream. One teaspoonful of this every two hours. It is necessary to keep up the strength of your little patient, and if it shows signs of being chilly give the brandy and milk hot. You may also mix the brandy in with the paregoric half a teaspoonful of each in hot water sweetened with sugar. Keep the patient in bed until well, and guard against taking cold. Keep the little ones in the house and out of the room, for it is very contagious, and a child having the disease in a very mild form is very apt to give it to another member of the family, which may turn out serious. Place saucers of crude carbolic acid in each room, particularly in the water closet, and keep some in the vessel used in the patient's bed-chamber. Ventilate the room by opening windows in the adjoining room. Do not let any person use the same spoons, goblet or any dish used by the patient. It in always best to send for a physician at once.

Nervousness and Noise. --If you are nervous and suffer from noise, or if you desire to think without being disturbed, just take a bit of spermacetti ointment of about the size of a pea, tie it up in a small piece of linen, and place it deep in the ear, leaving the end hang out; not a murmur of sound can be heard. This quiets the nerves and does no harm, and the plug can be removed at will.

Gargle. --One tablespoonful of alcohol and four tablespoonfuls of water. This is said to be a sure cure for the worst form of sore throat. Gargle every hour.

Nose-bleeding, How to Stop. --Dr. Gleason says the following remedy for nose-bleeding has never been known to fail in a single instance: In the case of a child a wad of paper should be inserted in its mouth and chewed hard. It is the motion of the jaws that stops the flow of blood.

To Relieve Cramps in Stomach and Vomiting. --Apply a spice poultice to the pit of the stomach. Make the poultice with ground cloves, allspice, ginger, pepper and Indian meal, wet with essence of peppermint and a very little water. Apply after putting the patient to bed.

Whooping Cough Tea.--This tea is invaluable in whooping cough, asthma and also for common coughs. There are seven different "teas" which you may procure at any first-class druggists. Buy five cents' worth of each, have them well mixed and when you wish to use the tea take all you can hold between your fingers and pour one pint of boiling water over it. Cover and allow it to steep for ten or fifteen minutes--not boil. Add a lump of rock candy each time you steep new tea. Names of the teas as follows: Marshmallow Root, cut, Garraw Herb, Couchgrass, Iceland Moss, Licorice Root, cut, Mallow Flowers, Centauri Minons Herb.

Tar Smoke for Diphtheria. --Pour equal parts of liquid tar and turpentine into a tincup and set fire to it. A dense resinous smoke arises which obscures the air of the room, the patient immediately experiences relief. The above from Dr. Delthil, in the Paris Figaro;
it is also a specific for croup. Pour about two tablespoonfuls of liquid tar and an equal quantity of turpentine in an iron pan or cup, light it, set on the register in room, near the bed if possible. I have tried it, it certainly brings relief in croup.

For Hoarseness or a Cold. --Beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, add a scant teaspoonful of glycerine, the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of honey, stir it up well and let the patient take a teaspoonful of this mixture every two hours, oftener if necessary.

How to Make a Bacon Bandage for Sore Throat. --Cut the bacon in strips one quarter of an inch in thickness and two or three inches in width and long enough to pass entirely around the throat. Remove the bacon rind and any lean meat there may be in it to prevent blistering the throat or neck. Sew the bacon to a strip of flannel so as to hold it in position and prevent its slipping and then apply the bacon to the throat and neck. Pin it around the neck, so that it will not be uncomfortably tight. The throat and neck should be completely swathed with the bacon. If after an application of eight hours the patient is not better apply a new bandage in the same manner.

Cure for Hoarseness. --Roast a lemon in the oven, turning it now and then, so as to cook all sides. It should not break, but be soft all through. While the lemon is warm, cut a piece from one end, fill with as much sugar as it will hold, and eat on going to bed, or heat some honey and mix juice and honey and eat while warm.

To Relieve Neuralgia. --Towels wrung out of hot water give prompt relief for neuralgia in the face or head when applied to the parts affected.

How to Keep and Promote the Growth of the Hair. --A lady with a fine growth of hair nowadays is the exception. Why? Because of the neglect of giving it a good brushing at least once a day, twice is better, night and morning. The most injury done to the hair is the habitual use of the curling iron. It is better to singe off the hair when uneven than cut it. Equal parts of castor oil and whisky mixed is a good tonic for the hair, rubbing a very little into the roots at a time with your finger tips. Twice a week is sufficient, as it will make the hair strong and glossy. Wash the head at least once a month in warm soapsuds to which you have added a little ammonia. Take fresh water for a second wash (it must be hot this time) and add a little borax, then rinse in clear hot water. Lastly, let cold water be doused all over the head. This will prevent taking cold. Rub dry with coarse towels and then fan.

To Remove Dandruff. --Two ounces of cantharides, two ounces of glycerine, two ounces of bay rum, and one ounce of water. Shake before using. Part the hair about an inch apart and rub the mixture well into the scalp with the tips of your fingers.

Cement for Glass and China. --A very strong cement may be made for glass and china by diluting the white of an egg with the same quantity of water. Beat it up thoroughly, add enough powdered quicklime to make a thin paste. It must be applied immediately or it will lose its virtue.

To Restore Injured Furniture. --Moisten the dent with warm water, then lay over it a folded brown paper and apply a warm iron until the moisture has evaporated.

To Clean Diamonds. --Wash them in warm suds, then rinse them in clear water in which you have added some ammonia, then dry them with a soft linen handkerchief, the older the better, or chamois skin; last run tissue paper through and all around the setting of the diamond.

Black Cashmere.--How to renovate. Steep two ounces of soap bark in a quart of warm water for a couple of hours, then strain and add it to the water the Cashmere is to be washed in, do not use any soap to the goods. When washed rinse in warm water which has been well blued and iron on the wrong side when half dry.

Black Silk, How to Clean. ---Purchase a few ounces of soap bark at any drug store. Steep two ounces of the bark in a quart of warm water for a few hours. Rip and brush the silk, remove all the threads left by former stitches. Spread the pieces on a lap board or clean table and sponge the silk with the infusion, which you have previously strained; sponge the silk on both sides and rub off the lather with a clean piece of silk. Do not wring the silk, but simply spread the different pieces upon a clean sheet laid over the carpet and pin the pieces down at the corners. When dry the silk will look like new.

To Remove Ink Stains. --Saturate the spots with spirits of turpentine and let it remain several hours. You can rub it out easily after that.

To Remove Tar. Rub with lard or butter, then rinse with warm soap and water.

To Bleach Cotton or Linen Clothes. --Take one pound of chloride of lime, dissolve and strain it into about three pails of water. Leave your clothes in it over night. Then rinse well and dry.
This will also remove mildew.

To Prevent Ginghams or Calicos from Fading and Shrinking. --Dip them and allow them to remain in a pailful of cold water in which you have put two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar of lead. Allow them to remain in the water for two or three hours or longer. Do this before making up the material, wring and hang up the goods and iron on the wrong side before quite dry. It will pay you for the trouble, for the ginghams will always look like new, and never shrink if properly taken care of.

To Wash Carpets. --To every pail of water add one large tablespoonful of ammonia, and one large tablespoonful of beef gall. Scrub with a clean brush, and rinse with clean tepid water.