The Household Medicine Chest

About this book

The doctor was far away, and the first thing done was whatever was already in the house: tea, a compress, a bath, a tincture of herbs, an ointment of vaseline and camphor. This is the largest chapter of the book — a whole household medicine chest of its day, from a cold and toothache to burns, wounds and children’s illnesses, together with what a healthy life was understood to be: air, water, sleep and food.

The text is word for word — nothing has been retold, shortened or “improved”. Only the letters have been changed: the gothic type and the old orthography have been put into modern letters, and the book translated into English. Old and foreign words are explained beside the text, and at the end there is a table of the old measures and a glossary.

What is inside

• Healthy living: air, water, sleep, food
• First aid and the household medicine chest
• Herbal teas, tinctures and ointments
• Compresses, baths and wrappings
• Care of children and remedies by ailment
• 232 numbered hints and recipes
• 379 old and foreign words explained beside the text, plus a glossary and a table of measures at the end

About the series

The text is word for word — nothing has been retold, shortened or “improved”. Only the letters have been changed: the gothic type and the old orthography have been put into modern letters, and the book translated into English. Old and foreign words are explained beside the text, and at the end there is a table of the old measures and a glossary.