The reason why: domestic science : affording intelligible reasons for the various duties which a housewife has to perform / by the author of Enquire within upon everything ... [etc.].

  • Philp, Robert Kemp, 1819-1882.
Date:
[1869]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The reason why: domestic science : affording intelligible reasons for the various duties which a housewife has to perform / by the author of Enquire within upon everything ... [etc.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    99/376 (page 95)
    “ Violent delights have violent ends, And in their triumphs die.”—Romeo and Juliet. the material and laid smoothly on the part, and as hot as the person can bear without inconvenience. Such a poultice when not applied to an abscess or running sore may be used two or three times by placing it again between two plates, soaking in hot water, and squeezing out the water as in the first instance. The cleanest and most universally-used poultices, however, are those made of bran. A few handfuls of bran or pollard, according to the size required, should be sewn in a cotton or flannel bag, then soaked in hot water, the excess of moisture pressed out, and finally laid on the part. The advantage of this poultice is, that it will last for a whole day, the bag of bran merely requiring to be immersed in hot water on every occasion of its reapplication. Flour, meal, charcoal, and arrowroot are sometimes used for poultices, as are also turnips, carrots, and potatoes: the latter in particular, being always at hand, may be made available on any case of emergency. 423. Why is rice of an astringent nature ? Because it contains a comparatively small proportion of gluten, and but little fat; hence its properties are less laxative than •other cereal grains. 424. Why at about the age of fifty should diet be carefully regulated ? Because at that period the power of the digestive organs and the capacity of the stomach become weakened and relaxed, -accompanied with a tendency to organic disorders ; an excess of food produces corpulency, increases the fulness of the blood- vessels, and renders the body liable to disease. 425. Why should we observe regularity in taking our meals ? Because the stomach requires stated intervals in which to furnish the gastric juice to convert the food into chyme, and if this process is interrupted the stomach becomes overloaded, and is unable to perform its functions. 426. Why is dining at a late hour injurious ? Because the exertions during the day, combined with the too long interval of fasting, produce an exhaustion in the system which renders it incapable of digesting food with comfort. 427. Why should corpulent persons not drink fermented liquors and ardent spirits ? Because they contain a large proportion of carbon, which is readily converted into fatty matter.