Part 21

Take three quarts of common oil, half a pint of spirit of wine, three ounces of cinnamon powder, two ounces of bergamot. Put it in a large pipkin, and give it a good heat. When it is off the fire, add three or four pieces of alkanet root, and keep it closely covered for several hours. Filter it through a funnel lined with blotting paper. The commonest oil is used; and, when rancid, it is remedied by putting in two or three slices of an onion.

EXCELLENT HAIR OIL.

Boil half a pound of green southern wood, in a pint and a half of sweet oil, and half a pint of port wine. When sufficiently boiled, remove it from the fire, and strain the liquor through a linen bag. Repeat this operation three times, with fresh southern wood; and the last time add to the strained materials, two ounces of bear’s grease. It is excellent for promoting the growth of the hair, and preventing baldness.

LYE FOR STRENGTHENING THE HAIR.

Take two handsful of the root of hemp, same quantity of the roots of a maiden vine, same quantity of the cores of soft cabbages. Dry and burn them, and make a lye of the ashes. Before you wash the hair with this lye, it should be well rubbed with honey, and this method persisted in for three days at least.

INFALLIBLE CORN-PLASTER.

Take two ounces of gum ammoniac, two ounces of yellow wax, six drams of verdigris. Melt them together, and spread the composition on a bit of soft leather, or a piece of linen. Cut away as much of the corn as you can with a knife, before you apply the plaster, which must be renewed in a fortnight, if the corn is not by that time gone.

TO CLEAN SILKS, COTTONS, AND WOOLLENS, _without damage to their texture or colour_.

Grate raw potatoes to a fine pulp in clean water, and pass the liquid matter through a coarse sieve, into another vessel of water; let the mixture stand till the fine white particles of the potatoes are precipitated, then pour the mucilaginous liquor from the fecula, and preserve the liquor for use. The article to be cleaned should then be laid on a linen cloth, on a table, and having provided a clean sponge, dip it into the potatoe liquor, and apply it to the article to be cleaned, till the dirt is perfectly separated; then wash it in clean water several times. Two middle-sized potatoes will be enough for a pint of water. The coarse pulp, which does not pass through the sieve, is of great use in cleaning worsted curtains, tapestry, carpets, and other coarse goods. The mucilaginous liquor will clean all sorts of silk, cotton, or woollen goods, without hurting or spoiling the colour; it may be also used in cleaning oil paintings, or furniture that is soiled. Dirtied painted wainscots may be cleaned by wetting a sponge in the liquor, then dipping it in a little clean sand, and afterwards rubbing the wainscot with it.

TO PRESERVE FURS.

When laying by muffs and tippets for the summer, if a tallow candle be placed on or near them, all danger of moths, &c. will be obviated.

TO PRESERVE CLOTHES FROM MOTHS, &C.

Put cedar shavings, or clippings of Russia leather, among the drawers and shelves where the clothes are kept. Pieces of camphor, or tallow candle, wrapt up in paper, will preserve furs and woollens from moths; and lavender, roses, and flowers and perfumes of every kind, are useful as well as agreeable in keeping away moths and worms.

VARNISH FOR OLD STRAW OR CHIP HATS.

Take half an ounce of the best black sealing-wax, bruise it, and put it to two ounces of spirit of turpentine; melt them very gently, by placing the bottle that holds them in boiling water, or near a fire. When all the wax is melted, lay it on warm with a fine hair brush near the fire or in the sun. It will not only give a beautiful gloss and stiffness to the hats, but make them resist wet.

TO TAKE GREASE SPOTS OUT OF SILK.

Dip a clean piece of flannel into spirits of turpentine, and rub the spots until they disappear, which will soon be the case. Do not be sparing of the turpentine, as it will all evaporate, and leave no mark or stain behind.

TO TAKE OUT STAINS FROM CLOTH OR SILK.

Pound French chalk fine, mix with lavender-water to the thickness of mustard. Put it on the stain; rub it soft with the finger or palm of the hand. Put a sheet of blotting and brown paper on the top, and smooth it with an iron milk-warm.

TO EXTRACT GREASE SPOTS FROM SILKS, AND COLOURED MUSLINS, &c.

Scrape French chalk, put it on the grease spot, and hold it near the fire, or over a warm iron, or water-plate, filled with boiling water. The grease will melt, and the French chalk absorb it; brush or rub it off. Repeat if necessary.

TO TAKE STAINS OUT OF SILK.

Mix together in a phial, 2 oz. of essence of lemon, 1 oz. of oil of turpentine.

Grease and other spots in silks, are to be rubbed gently with a linen rag dipped in the above composition.

TO TAKE SPOTS OF PAINT FROM CLOTH, SILK, &c.

Dip a pen in spirit of turpentine, and transfer it to the paint spot, in sufficient quantity to discharge the oil and gluten. Let it stand some hours, then rub it.

For large or numerous spots, apply the spirit of turpentine with a sponge, if possible, before it is become dry.

TO WASH CHINTZ.

Take two pounds of rice, boil it in two gallons of water till soft; then pour the whole into a tub; let it stand till about the warmth in general used for coloured linens; then put the chintz in, and use the rice instead of soap, wash it in this, till the dirt appears to be out, then boil the same quantity as above, but strain the rice from the water, and wash it in warm clear water. Wash in this till quite clean; afterwards rinse it in the water which the rice has been boiled in, and this will answer the end of starch, and no dew will affect it. If a gown, it must be taken to pieces, and when dried, be careful to hang it as smooth as possible;—after it is dry, rub it with a smooth stone, but use no iron.

TO WASH FINE LACE OR LINEN.

Take a gallon of furze blossoms and burn them to ashes, then boil them in six quarts of soft water; this, when fine, use in washing with the suds, as occasion requires, and the linen, &c. will not only be exceedingly white, but it is done with half the soap, and little trouble.

TO CLEAN BLACK AND WHITE SARCENETS.

Lay these smooth and even upon a board, spread a little soap over the dirty places; then make a lather with Castille soap, and with a common brush, dip it in, pass it over the long way, and repeat it in this manner, till one side is sufficiently scoured; use the other in the same manner; then put it into hot water, and there let it lie, till you have prepared some cold water, wherein a small quantity of gum arabic has been dissolved. Now rinse them well, take them out and fold them, pressing out the water with the hands on the board, and keeping them under the hands till they are dry; at which time, have brimstone ready to dry them over, till they are ready for smoothing, which must be done on the right side, with a moderate hot iron.

TO WASH AND STAIN TIFFANIES.

Let the hems of the tiffanies be at first only a little soaped, then having a lather of soap, put them into it hot, and wash them very gently for fear they should be crumpled; and when they are clean, rinse them in warm water, in which a little gum arabic has been dissolved, keeping them from the air as much as possible; then add a lump of starch, wet the tiffanies with a soft linen rag, and fold them up in a clean cloth, pressing them till they are near dry; after which put them near the fire, and finish the drying over brimstone; then shape them properly by gently ironing them.

TO WASH AND STARCH LAWNS.

Lawns may be done in the same manner as the former, only observe to iron them on the wrong side, and use gum arabic water instead of starch, and, according to what has been directed for sarcenets, any coloured silks may be starched, abating or augmenting the gum water, as may be thought fit, according to the stiffness intended.

TO CLEAN AND STARCH POINT LACE.

Fix the lace in a prepared tent, draw it straight, make a warm lather of Castille soap, and, with a fine brush dipped in, rub over the point gently; and when it is clean on one side, do the same to the other; then throw some clean water on it, in which a little alum has been dissolved, to take off the suds, and having some thin starch, go over with the same on the wrong side, and iron it on the same side when dry, then open it with a bodkin, and set it in order.

To clean point lace, if not very dirty, without washing; fix it in a tent as the former, and go over with fine bread, the crust being pared off, and when it is done, dust out the crumbs, &c.

TO CLEAN WHITE VEILS.

Put the veil in a solution of white soap, and let it simmer a quarter of an hour. Squeeze it in some warm water and soap, till quite clean. Rinse it from soap, and then in clean cold water, in which is a drop of liquid blue. Then pour boiling water upon a tea-spoonful of starch, run the veil through this, and clear it well, by clapping it. Afterwards pin it out, keeping the edges straight and even.

TO CLEAN BLACK VEILS.

Pass them through a warm liquor of bullock’s gall and water; rinse in cold water; then take a small piece of glue, pour boiling water on it, and pass the veil through it; clap it, and frame it to dry.

TO CLEAN WHITE SATIN AND FLOWERED SILKS.

Mix sifted stale bread crumbs with powder-blue, and rub it thoroughly all over, then shake it well, and dust it with clean soft cloths. Afterwards, where there are any gold or silver flowers, take a piece of crimson in grain velvet, rub the flowers with it, which will restore them to their original lustre.

_Another Method._

Pass them through a solution of fine hard soap, at a hand heat, drawing them through the hand. Rinse in lukewarm water, dry and finish by pinning out. Brush the flossy or bright side with a clean clothes brush, the way of the nap. Finish them by dipping a sponge into a size, made by boiling isinglass in water, and rub the wrong side. Rinse out a second time, and brush and dry near a fire, or in a warm room.

Silks may be treated in the same way, but not brushed. If the silks are for dyeing, instead of passing them through a solution of soap and water, they must be boiled off; but if the silks are very stout, the water must only be of heat sufficient to extract the dirt, and when rinsed in warm water they are in a state for the dye.

_Another Method._

Strew French chalk over them, and brush it off with a hard brush once or twice.

TO CLEAN COLOURED SILKS OF ALL KINDS.

Put some soft soap into boiling water, and beat it till dissolved in a strong lather. At a hand heat put in the article. If strong, it may be rubbed as in washing; rinse it quickly in warm water, and add oil of vitriol, sufficient to give another water a sourish taste, if for bright yellows, crimsons, maroons, and scarlets; but for oranges, fawns, browns, or their shades, use no acid. For bright scarlet use a solution of tin. Gently squeeze, and then roll it in a coarse sheet, and wring it. Hang it in a warm room to dry, and finish it by calendering or mangling.

For pinks, rose colours, and thin shades, &c., instead of oil of vitriol, or solution of tin, prefer lemon juice, or white tartar, or vinegar.

For blues, purples, and their shades, add a small quantity of American pearl-ash; it will restore the colours. Wash the articles like a linen garment, but instead of wringing, gently squeeze and sheet them, and when dry, finish them with fine gum water, or dissolved isinglass, to which add some pearl-ash, rubbed on the wrong side, then pin them out.

Blues of all shades are dyed with archil, and afterwards dipped in a vat; twice cleaning with pearl-ash, restores the colour. For olive greens, a small quantity of verdigris dissolved in water, or a solution of copper, mixed with the water, will revive the colour again.

TO CLEAN BLACK SILKS.

To bullock’s gall, add boiling water sufficient to make it warm, and with a clean sponge, rub the silk well on both sides, squeeze it well out, and proceed again in like manner. Rinse it in spring water, and change the water till perfectly clean, dry it in the air, and pin it out on a table; but first dip the sponge in glue water, and rub it on the wrong side; then dry it before a fire.

TO DIP RUSTY BLACK SILKS.

If it requires to be red dyed, boil logwood; and in half an hour, put in the silk, and let it simmer half an hour. Take it out, and dissolve a little blue vitriol and green copperas, cool the copper, let it simmer half an hour, then dry it over a stick in the air. If not red dyed, pin it out, and rinse it in spring water, in which half a tea-spoonful of oil of vitriol has been put. Work it about five minutes, rinse it in cold for ten minutes, rinsing in cold water. For a blue cast, put water, and finish it by pinning and rubbing it with gum water.

TO CLEAN SILK STOCKINGS.

Wash with soap and water; and simmer them in the same; put one drop of liquid blue, into a pan of cold spring water, run the stockings through this a minute or two, and dry them. For a pink cast, put one or two drops of saturated pink dye into cold water, and rinse them through this. For a flesh-colour, add a little rose-pink in a thin soap liquor, rub them with clean flannel, and calender or mangle them.

TO CLEANSE FEATHERS FROM ANIMAL OIL.

Mix well with a gallon of clean water, a pound of quick lime; and, when the lime is precipitated in fine powder, pour off the clear lime-water for use, at the time it is wanted. Put the feathers to be cleaned in a tub, and add to them a sufficient quantity of the clear lime-water, so as to cover them about three inches. The feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and should remain in the lime-water for three or four days; after which, the foul liquor should be separated from them by laying them on a sieve. Afterwards, well wash them in clean water, and dry them on nets, about the same fineness as cabbage-nets. Shake them from time to time, on the nets; as they dry, they will fall through the mashes, when collect them for use. The admission of air will be serviceable in the drying, and the whole process may be completed in about three weeks. The feathers, thus prepared, want nothing further than beating, to be used either for beds, bolsters, pillows, &c.

TO BLEACH WOOL, SILKS, STRAW BONNETS, &c.

Put a chafing-dish with some lighted charcoal into a close room, or large box; then strew an ounce or two of powdered brimstone on the hot coals. Hang the articles in the room or box, make the door fast, and let them hang some hours. Fine coloured woollens are thus sulphured before dyed, and straw bonnets are thus bleached.

THE YOUNG LADIES’ MAID.

In large families, where there are young ladies who require attendance, a maid is appointed to wait on all, or perhaps each lady has a maid. The duties of these are in all respects the same as the ladies’-maid; we therefore refer them to the directions given to her, for the necessary instructions. As this situation is considered merely initiatory to a better, and is occupied, generally, by an upper house-maid, or a young woman on her outset in life, the salary is somewhat less than that of a well qualified servant; and the perquisites, including that of her mistress’ left-off clothes, are also reckoned at the same rate.

THE HEAD NURSE.

As the hopes of families, and the comfort and happiness of parents are confided to the charge of females who superintend nurseries of children, no duties are more important, and none require more incessant and unremitting care and anxiety. Every symptom of approaching disease should be watched and reported to the parents or medical attendant of the family, and in this respect, nothing should be concealed or deferred till remedies are too late. In the daily washings, the state of the skin should be examined and noticed, as well as the tongue and the appetite, and spirits; and above all things, all chances of accident or juvenile mischief should be guarded against and removed. Windows should be fenced with bars, or the lower sashes nailed down; knives and sharp instruments should be kept out of reach; scalding water and dangerous ingredients secured from access; ponds and rivers fenced in; ladders removed; and fire-places guarded by well-fastened wire fenders.

This important Servant ought to be of a lively and cheerful disposition, perfectly good tempered, and clean and neat in her habits and person. She ought also to have been accustomed to the care and management of young children, as all the junior branches of the family are intrusted to her care and superintendence, confiding in her skill, experience, and attention. She usually takes the sole charge of the infant from its birth, when the parent suckles it: to assist her in the management of this and the other children in the nursery, she has under nurses assigned her, who are entirely under her controul.

The youngest nurse, or nursery-maid, usually rises about 6 o’clock to light the fire, and do the household work of the nursery before the children are up, perhaps about seven o’clock, at which time the head nurse is dressed, and ready to bathe and wash them all over with a sponge and warm water; after which they are rubbed quite dry and dressed. This process, when there are several children, usually occupies the nurses an hour, or an hour and a half, when their breakfast is got ready, and the children are placed at their meal in the most peaceable and orderly manner. After breakfast, if the weather be favourable, the children are taken out by the assistant nurse, or nursery maid, for air and exercise, an hour or perhaps two, but not so long as to fatigue either of them. On their return, their hands and feet are washed, if damp or dirty, after which they attend to their lessons till dinner time. After dinner, if it be fine weather, the children are again taken abroad for air and exercise, and on their return again, after having their hands and feet washed, if necessary, they are in due time, about eight o’clock, dressed and put to bed. The Head Nurse finds ample employment during the whole day, in paying due attention to her infant charge, in giving directions, and in seeing that the whole business of the nursery is properly executed.

The sleeping room of the Nursery should be spacious, lofty, dry, airy, and not suffered to be inhabited in the day time. No servants should sleep in the same room, nor ought any thing to be done there that may contaminate the air, in which so great a portion of infantine life is to be spent. The consequences of vitiated air in bed-rooms are often fatal. Feather-beds and bed-curtains ought to be proscribed, as tending to debility; neither ought the beds to be placed too low, as the most pernicious stratum of air is that nearest the floor.

The air of the sleeping room ought to be changed immediately on the children’s leaving the room, by opening the windows and doors; the beds ought, also, to be shaken up and left to cool; the slops cleared away; and every thing made and kept perfectly clean. In damp or bad weather, a fire must be made in the room to purify the air.

The management of infant children, has a more important influence on the health and happiness of man, than is generally imagined; as, at this period of existence, the foundation is laid either for irremediable debility, or for _mental_ and _bodily_ vigour. An Infant, consequently requires considerable care, and indefatigable personal attention.

Its management for the first two months, cannot be too gentle, kind, or tender. Nothing should be done at first that can give it uneasiness; therefore, next to its health and well-being, regard should be had to its disposition, and the regulation of its temper; with this view also, the most rational way is to let the infant enjoy all the liberty it possibly can, without being restrained by its clothing, or starved by system. To set a child upright before the end of the first month is hurtful: afterwards the nurse may begin to set it up and dance it by degrees. It must be kept as dry as possible.

The clothing should be very light, and not too long, so that the legs may be got at with ease, in order to have them often rubbed in the day, with a warm hand, or flannel, and particularly the inside of them. Rubbing the child all over takes off scurf, and promotes the circulation of the blood.

A nurse ought to keep a child as little in her arms as possible, lest the legs should be cramped, and the toes turned inwards. Let her always keep the child’s legs loose. The oftener the posture is changed, the better.

For the first fortnight or three weeks it should be always laid on a bed, except when taken up to supply its wants, which will give it habits of cleanliness at a very early age.

It may be very comfortably laid on a cushion, where it can be in no danger of falling, nor of any thing falling on it. Some one should sit by it, and divert and cheer it, if necessary, and take it up instantly, when it expresses the least dissatisfaction. A nurse should make it a strict rule, that the child should be in her own view, in whatever she may be employed.

By slow degrees, the infant may be accustomed to exercise, both within doors and in the open air: but it never should be moved about immediately after sucking or feeding, as that will be apt to sicken it. Exercise should be given it by carrying it about, and gently dandling it in the arms; tossing an infant about, and exercising it in the open air, in fine weather, is of the greatest service to it, in preventing distortion. In cities, children ought not to be kept in hot rooms, but to have as much air as possible; want of exercise being the cause of rickets, large heads, weak joints, a contracted breast, and diseased lungs, besides a numerous train of evils.

Endeavour to harden the body, but without resorting to violent means. A child is constitutionally weak and irritable to a high degree; hence we should endeavour to diminish this irritability, in order to procure it the greatest happiness of life, a firm body, whence may result a sound mind.

Such management is highly advantageous, as it will enable children to support every species of fatigue and hardship, when they become adults.

The plan of hardening children may, however, be carried to excess. An extravagant attempt to strengthen youth, deprives them of all their natural susceptibility of excitement, renders them insensible, and produces many bad effects, while they only acquire temporary energy, which decreases as they advance in years, and is attended with an early loss of their primitive vigour.

All attempts to render children hardy must, therefore, be made by gradual advances: for nature admits of no sudden transition. When children have once been accustomed to a hardy system of education, such a plan must be strictly adhered to.

The child’s skin is to be kept perfectly clean by washing its limbs morning and evening, and likewise its neck and ears; beginning with warm water, till, by degrees, it will not only bear, but like to be washed with cold.