Miscellaneous
Medicinal and Cosmetic Recipes from the Irish Country House
(1839-c.1885)
Based on the
De Vesci Papers, National
Library Ms 34537
Against Pimples
Dissolve common
salt in the juices of lemons and with a piece of linen pat the pimples.
Cold Cream
1 oz of clean,
pure virgin wax
½ oz of best
spermaceti
¼ of a pint of oil
of sweet almonds
Put all this into
a small white bowl over a pan of quite hot water and when it is all quite
melted, add by degrees a ¼ pint of best rose water (or rather less) and beat the whole up in one direction with a wooden
or a silver spoon until it is perfectly firm and smooth. Then strain off all
the liquid and again add a fresh ¼ pint of rose water. Beat it all up well and
squeeze out every drop of liquid. Then put it into pots for use, cover closely
and keep in a cool place.
To Cure Boils
Place 3
tablespoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of brandy in 10 oz of water. This
is to be drunk in the course of a day and continued for ten days.
To Cure Epilepsy
In a pig’s ear
there are some little bones…take them and break them in large pieces, roast
them light brown on the stove, then pound them again…One bone makes powder for
one dose and must be taken dry and washed down with water.
To be taken when
the patient feels a fit coming on (or others perceive it coming). Three powders
have generally proved sufficient for a patient who has not been many years ill
and who is young. This has been given in
For Burns
Pounded chalk
mixed with salad oil to the thickness of honey, then thinned with vinegar. When
it rises like yeast, then paint it thickly over the hurt part even if it is
raw.
For Gout
Take a clove of
garlic night and morning until the gout subsides.
Old medicine bottle from Dr. Rice’s medical establishment,
Portarlington