ONION. 529 
should be used; or, for a mild gruel, Portugal, or Egyptian 
Onions. Some persons prefer to boil them the whole time in 
the liquid for the gruel, thus retaining certain properties which 
are anti-asthmatic. Ii butter is liked, add a morsel of the 
freshest, off the fire, or a spoontul of cream instead. Onion 
muk is a time-honoured remedy for a similar purpose, and is 
to be prepared in the same way, adding a clove, a morsel of 
mace, or a little whole allspice, to simmer in the milk; this 
beverage to be served quite hot. But, after all, cold-catching 
can be prevented beforehand, which is far better than having 
necessary recourse subsequently to these palliative measures. 
A white-haired old travelling tinker, hardy and hearty, testifies 
thus, for instance: ‘Sometimes one of the Deacons says to 
me when he sees me outside o’ th’ Chapel i’ th’ yard, athowt 
mi yed covered, ‘Aw wish aw could stand i’ th’ wind an’ rain 
athowt mi hat on, athowt catchin’ cowld, Sam, as yo’ can.’ 
An’ says aw to him, ‘Th’ mon as wears flannel next his skin, 
an’ as dips his yed under cowld water three times every mornin’, 
doesno catch much cowld; aw’ve seen eighty-two buthdays, 
and, thank the Lord, aw hanno’ got a pain, or a ache about me.” 
If employed as a poultice for ear-ache, or for broken chilblains, 
the Onion should be plainly roasted, so as to modify its acrid 
oil. When there is a running fetid discharge from the ear, 
or when an abscess is first threatened, with pain, heat, and 
swelling, the hot poultice of roasted Onion will be found very 
soothing, and will do much to mitigate the pain; or, a clove 
of Garlic, stripped of the outer skin, and cut in the form of a 
blunt cone, if thrust gently into the ear of the aching side, will 
quickly assuage the pain. ‘“‘ Onyon juice,” saith an old maxim, 
‘‘anoynted on the bald head in the sun, bringeth the haire againe 
very speedilie.”” For inflamed, and protruding piles, the raw 
Onion pulp of a bruised bulb will, if kept bound close against 
the part by a compress, and renewed as needed, afford certain 
relief. Small Onions eaten at night by those persons who are 
not prone to feverishness, will promote sleep, and induce a gentle 
perspiration. The late Frank Buckland said: “I am sure 
the essential oil of Onions has specific powers ; in my own case_ 
it never fails; if I am much pressed with work, and feel that I 
am not disposed to sleep, I eat two or three small Onions, and 
their effect is magical.” : " 
The juice of a sliced raw Onion, being alkaline, will 
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