The family oracle; or, the art of improving beauty. : Containing instructions to adorn and beautify the ladies, and advice how to make washes, perfumes, essences, liniments, powders, and medicines: together with important and useful receipts, with which every housekeeper ought to be acquainted, and which, from their cheapness, it is in the power of the humblest individual to purchase.

Date:
1829
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The family oracle; or, the art of improving beauty. : Containing instructions to adorn and beautify the ladies, and advice how to make washes, perfumes, essences, liniments, powders, and medicines: together with important and useful receipts, with which every housekeeper ought to be acquainted, and which, from their cheapness, it is in the power of the humblest individual to purchase. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fine charcoal tooth powder, far superior to that sold in the shops. To sweeten Meat, Fish, ifyc. that is tainted. When meat, fish, &c. from intense heat or long keep¬ ing are likely to pass into a state of corruption, a simple and pure mode of keeping them sound and healthful, is, by putting a few pieces of charcoal, each the size of an egg, into the pot or sauce-pan wherein the meat or fish is to be boiled. Among others an experiment of this kind was tried upon a Turbot, which appeared to be too far gone to be eatable ; the cook, as advised, put four pieces of charcoal under the strainer in the fish-kettle, after boil¬ ing the proper time, the Turbot came to the table per¬ fectly sweet and firm. To hill Cockroaches. Give them the root of black hellibore which grows in marshes, and may be had from country people j strew them over the floor at night, and next morning you will find all the family of cockroaches dead or dying from having eaten of it, which they will do with much avidity. To make Ginger Beer. I|oz. of well bruised ginger, loz. of cream of tarter, lib. of white sugar, put these ingredients into an earthen vessel and pour upon them a gallon of boiling water, when cold add a table-spoonful of yeast, and let the whole stand till next morning, then scum and bottle it *, keep it three days in a cool place, it will then be fit for use. To make Boots and Shoes Waterproof. Mix equal parts of mutton fat, bee’s wax, and sveet oil together, in a small gallipot, and heat them ov^ the fire till melted ; then, after the mixture has cooleda little, apply it to the shoes plentifully, particularly ab^ut the welt and seems, and that will render them entirely water- proof.