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

*** 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. Page headers are retained, but are moved to the beginning of the paragraph where the text is interrupted. Page numbers are shown in brackets [ ].

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 Kostuch

Transcriber'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, C6H5NH(COCH3), formerly used to relieve pain
  and 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 C3H5.

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(SO4)2 12H2O, widely used in industry as
  clarifiers, hardeners, and purifiers and 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) C11H12N2O formerly used, but
  now largely 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, C17H17NO2, derived from morphine
  and used to 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