Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/169

everything, persevere with this, giving short lessons frequently through the day for quite a fortnight, or even longer. Then let the child take a small pebble into the mouth and try to talk with it there, finally do away with it and try the voice in the natural tone very slowly. In simple cases of stammering this is almost a certain cure, and it has been successful in many severe ones.

Bites of Reptiles and Insects. — Take two ounces of oil of turpentine and four ounces of olive oil. Mix these together, and rub on the parts affected two or three times a day. Hornet stings are cured by an application of vinegar. Spirits of turpentine are also good. In any bite from insects tobacco juice well rubbed in is beneficial, particularly in bites from spiders. If the part is made to bleed freely, all the better; it should be sucked and then the tobacco juice rubbed in, Bee stings are cured by an application of the blue bag, or ordinary baking soda. In sucking a wound that is known to be poisonous, the mouth should be half filled with water first,and rinsed out after every mouthful is put out.

A Wasp Sting.—This can be cured at once by the application of a slice of onion, or its juice rubbed in. A bee sting can be cured by the same application. And if in the mouth or throat slowly chew and swallow the juice of the onion. If the wasp or bee leaves its sting behind extract it by pressing the hollow barrel or pipe of a key round it till it hurts. On removing the key the sting will be found lying outside, or it can be lifted with a pin or needle.

Hot Fomentations.— It is very necessary for every one to know how to apply these excellent and often recommended remedies, which must always be very hot. Take a thick piece of flannel and let it lie for a minute or two in the scalding water, then have ready a thick bath towel and wring the flannel in that very tightly, shake out and apply at once. If turpentine is ordered, sprinkle it on after wringing.

Tonic.—At the height of summer most people are the better for a tonic, and, instead of running to the doctor, they can make one for themselves, as follows:—Get a bottle of really good port wine, and buy six penny worth of Peruvian bark. Divide the wine into two bottles, putting half in each. Now put the bark into one; let it stand two or three days, and begin to take a wineglassful every day, filling up from the other bottle as the tonic gets too bitter. This is an excellent remedy for neuralgia.

Perspiration.—People who perspire very freely should always keep on their washhandstand a small bottle of ammonia and use a few drops in all water in which they wash. It does away with all the unpleasant odour of perspiration. Ten drops is enough in a large basin of water, and twice that in the bath.

The very weakening night sweats in consumption may be to a certain extent controlled by an ammonia bath daily, and the use of a powder made of three parts salicylic acid, ten of starch and 87 of Venice talc. The skin should be first sponged with a wash made of weak alcohol and a little tannin in it; then the powder applied at once. In the morning wash off in the bath and apply again. The above recipe was given me by an experienced hospital nurse.

Unpleasant Perspiration.—With many people excessive perspiration amounts to almost a disease. The worst form is when the feet perspire and become offensive. The only remedy for it is to soak the feet frequently in warm water, washing them well with soap, and then rinse them in warm water to which chloride of lime has been added. A little chloride of lime should be mixed with all the water used for washing in, and under the arms, and all parts of the body likely to become offensive, should be sponged with a stronger solution. When it becomes very distressing a medical man should be consulted. If neglected, the sufferer becomes a