Deformities as of the skin are generally the consequences of a distempered blood thrown upon it. Promoting the ordinary discharges, and rectifying the skin by proper washes, is the only way to get rid of such disorders. When, therefore, any lotion is employed on the skin, the person must always take care that some other emunctuary may be in readiness, to discharge what to lessened by the application of the external medicine. Diuretics are allowed by all to be the best auxiliaries to cosmetics, and it is hardly safe to use one without the other. We will first notice

OF PIMPLES.

This deformity consists in a redness of the face, attended with inflammatory pustules, the causes of which are commonly attributed to an acrid, thick blood, that swells and corrodes the small vessels; to clear which, the mass of blood must be sweetened and diluted with proper medicines.

For this purpose, infuse 4 oz. of mustard seed in a quart of while wine, and after 3 or 4 days, drink a wine glass full of it every morning filling up the phial as long as the seed gives any strength.—Or boil 3 spoonsful of mustard seed in a quart of milk, take off the curd, and keep the whey for use. This remedy is an excellent diuretic, and a cordial for the nerves, but it differs from the first in quality. Take half a wine glass full every morning.

Among all the lotions, and the best to use with the above diuretic, is a pimpernel water, which is so sovereign a beautifier of the complexion as to deserve a place on every lady’s toilet. It is prepared by only infusing half a handful of this herb in a quart of water, letting it stand all night. It may be used a little warm, but not hot. If not sufficiently powerful to remove the pimples, take camphor rubbed fine in a mortar, put upon it, a little at a time, 1 ounce of the juice of lemons, when dissolved, add 1 pint of white wine. This is a very good lotion for spots and flushings: it may be used with the greatest safety.

TO TAKE IRON MOULDS OR RUSTS OUT OF LINEN.

Dissolve the powder of burnt alum in the juice of lemon: wet the place with it, and dry it with the back of a spoon, in the fore part of which put a live coal; and in doing it 5 or 6 times, the iron moulds will be washed out.

TO CLEAN GOLD AND RESTORE ITS LUSTRE.

Dissolve a little sal-ammoniac in urine: boil your soiled gold therein, and it will become clean and brilliant.

HOW TO TAKE SPOTS OR STAINS OUT OF SILK OR VELVET.

Take sopwort (a herb of that name), bruise it, and strain out the juice; add a little black soap, and mix them well to a moderate thickness; rub it over the stained or spotted place; warm it gradually before the fire, and the stains will rub out with the hand.

TO RESTORE THE VOICE AND REMOVE HOARSENESS.

Many causes may contribute to this defect, particularly severe colds, breathing an air too full of dust, &c., too much speaking or singing, or being too much exposed to the air, on quitting convivial meetings and other entertainments of jollity.

To remove this defect, drink freely of barley and liquorice water, eat black currant jelly, and gargle the mouth twice or thrice every morning with the syrup of hedge mustard, diluted in a glass of milk or warm water.

It is certainly very mortifying to a lady to have a masculine voice, and yet it is a very frequent circumstance. As a means of contracting the larynx, the extra wideness of which is the cause, you must drink nothing hot; frequently drink lemonade, water acidulated with verjuice, oranges, &c., and gargle the throat every morning with equal parts of verjuice and water.

GARGLE FOR A SORE THROAT.

Take a handful of red sage leaves, simmer them 2 minutes in a third of a pint of water, strain the liquor off; when cold add an equal quantity of vinegar, and sweeten it with honey. These receipts are best for general purposes, and may be used with perfect safety, and generally with the happiest effect.

FOR A COUGH.

Mix vinegar and treacle in equal quantities, let a teaspoonful be taken occasionally, when the cough is troublesome. This is a receipt of the excellent Dr. James, of Carlisle.

FOR CLEANING IRON AND BRASS.

Half an oz. of cream of tarter, half a dram of cochineal, quarter pound of sulphuric acid. The above mixed with a quart of water, and when wanted to use, mix a little Bath brick with the liquid, to the consistency of paste; and apply it to the iron or brass with wash leather.

FOR DESTROYING RATS AND MICE.

Get a sixpenny packet of Winton’s Compound Mixture, (it may be had of any medicine vender), and mix it with a little butter or lard, and scatter it where the vermin resort. Whole parishes have been entirely cleared of them by the above, when it has been generally used.

CORNS.

This plaster will always give relief, and frequently remove them: 1 oz. of Venice turpentine, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 drams of mercurial plaster, half an oz. of yellow wax; the turpentine and wax must be melted together; mix the other ingredients when fluid. Or, take equal quantities of roasted onion and soft water, beat them together, and apply them as a poultice. This application will instantly appease the pain of the corn.

TO MAKE CHEAP BLACKING.

Take 4 oz. of ivory black, 3 oz. of the coarsest moist sugar, a table spoonful of sweet oil, and a pint of small beer, with half a spoonful of the oil of vitrol; mix them gradually, cold.

HEAD ACHE.

Ceplinile snuff in a general way remove the afflicting pain of the head ache. One scruple of turpeth mineral, half a dram of powdered ginger, 1 scruple of powdered nutmeg, 3 drops of oil of rosemary, well mixed, and snuffed up the nose.

CURE FOR WEAK EYES.

Take a lump of white copperas about the size of a pea, put it in a small phial that contains about 2 ounces of water, carry this in the pocket, and occasionally taking out the cork, turn the phial on the finger’s end, and thus bathe the eyes. This will positively effect a cure in a short time.

INFLAMED EYES.

Is a very painful and well-known complaint, arising sometimes from cold, and frequently from a very acrid blood which stimulates the delicate vessels of the eye, swelling and inflaming them. The following eye waters are very good to cool sharp, hot humours, they may be readily prepared, and will more effectually answer their end if assisted by the use of diuretics at the same time. First, calaminaris levigated, half a dram, rose water, 2 oz.—Second, take white vitrol, 15 grains, rose water, 2 oz.—With either of these, the eyes may be washed at discretion, in all hot defluctions; but when the sight decays from dryness, or a defect in the optic nerve, such things can avail but little.—When a poultice is necessary, you may take half a pint of the decoction of linseed, and as much flour of linseed as is sufficient to make it a proper consistency. This poultice is preferable to bread and milk for sore eyes, it will not grow sour nor acid. In corroboration of the above, we give a letter to the editor of the Mechanics’ Magazine, page 95, vol. I.

“Sir,—Reading your miscellany to a friend, a cure for weak eyes, he had recourse to your receipt, and was cured in a short time, though he had previously spent much money without getting relief from the faculty. I hope your readers who may be in a similar situation, will follow the example.”

OINTMENT FOR BURNS.

This ointment has never yet failed to give relief; yellow basilicon 3 ounces turpentine 1½ ounce.

FOR SHORTNESS OF BREATH.

Mix ¾ of an oz. of fine powdered senna, ½ an oz. of the flour of brimstone, ¼ of an oz. of powdered ginger, in 4 oz. of clarified honey. Take about the size of a nutmeg every night and morning for five successive days, afterwards, once a week for some time, and finally once a fortnight.

TO MAKE GINGER BEER.

One ounce and a half of well-bruised ginger, 1 ounce of cream of tartar, 1 sliced lemon, 1 pound of white sugar. Put these ingredients into an earthen vessel, and pour upon them a gallon of water, boiling; when cold, add a table spoonful of yeast, and let the whole stand till next morning; then skim and bottle it; keep it three days in a cool place it will then be fit for use.