I think it is always interesting how time has changed our ideas regarding medicine. I love old books and found the following in an 1880’s cookbook.
VINEGAR OF THE FOUR THIEVES: Recipes & curious tips from the past
HINTS IN REGARD TO HEALTH
“One should be cautious about entering a sick room in a state of perspiration, as the moment you become cool your pores absorb. Do not approach contagious diseases with an empty stomach, nor sit between the sick and the fire, because the heat attracts the vapor.
That the flavor of cod-liver oil may be changed to the delightful one of fresh oyster, if the patient will drink a large glass of water poured from a vessel in which nails have been allowed to rust.
That well-ventilated bedrooms will prevent morning headaches and lassitude.
The best time to bathe is just before going to bed, as any danger of taking cold is thus avoided; and the complexion is improved by keeping warm for several hours after leaving the bath.”
VINEGAR OF THE FOUR THIEVES: Recipes & curious tips from the past This book is a compilation of some of the funny and helpful tips from our past history. Some recipes and tips date back to 1770s. One or two sound a little dangerous and I would never try them myself, but I’ve included them in the book for their humorous and historical value. A few are useful, especially for our ‘green’ society today – with a bonus of two chapters of Ribbon of Love
About Donna R Causey
Donna R. Causey, resident of Alabama, was a teacher in the public school system for twenty years. When she retired, Donna found time to focus on her lifetime passion for historical writing. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me All her books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has authored numerous genealogy books. RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey
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These are interesting!
[…] Health hints from the 1880’s – how times … – HINTS IN REGARD TO HEALTH “One should be cautious about entering a sick room in a state of perspiration, as the moment you become cool your pores absorb. […]
Very interesting.