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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL.. 



Our Boctors Himts. 



BY F. L. PEIRO, M. D. 



McVicker's Building, Chicago, III. 



Honey and Bees as Remedies. 



Of all commendable enterprises, I think 

 the care of a few colonies of bees the most 

 pleasant, instructive and profitable. What 

 wisdom may be gathered from close obser- 

 vation of their native tact and industry ! — 

 and what luscious sweets may be ours 

 through their perseverance and our ef- 

 forts! Just think of biscuits and honey! 

 How one's mouth fairly waters at the very 

 suggestion ! The most perfect, most health- 

 ful sweet extant — far better than candies ! 

 And such a desirable vehicle for many 

 remedies. 



Now we all admit that borax is not nice 

 to the taste, and Charlie will yell if you in- 

 sist on his taking it ; but just mix a little 

 of the powder with a tea-spoonful of honey, 

 and lo ! he wants some more, right away. 

 And you know this mixture is excellent for 

 ordinary sore throats and tickling coughs. 

 Yes, and for cankered sore mouth (the re- 

 sult of indigestion). 



Then, too, when Lucy has a fever— mouth 

 parched, tongue dry as a shingle, skin 

 shrivelled, and hands hot— why, that's the 

 time when water and honey, with a dash 

 of lemon juice in it, will make the child 

 smile with delight. 



If you Juive to give castor oil— the nasty 

 stuff— mix half oil and half honey, and the 

 bees themselves would hardly recognize the 

 horrible adulteration! Fred will take it 

 right down with a smack of his lips ! 



For Mary's whooping cough, a sprinkle 

 of pulverized alum on a table-spoonful of 

 honey every hour or two will greatly help. 

 Did you ever try boneset tea and honey, 

 equal parts, for that tired, shiftless feeling 

 experienced principally in the fall, gen- 

 erally attributed to " biliousness ? Well, 

 it is really a fine tonic— a real " bracer " to 

 human energies. A cup of the mixture 

 taken hot, night and morning for a few 

 days, is certainly very effective. 



Then, too, honey with equal parts of 

 common soap makes a drawing plaster for 

 boils, felons and sores that is tremendously 

 effective. Then for scalds and burns, honey 

 and baking soda, equal partj. well spread 



on, is a very cooling and healing applica- 

 tion. 



Then come the bees themselves — their 

 stings are a very blessing to many who 

 suffer from sciatic rheumatism, and old 

 people afflicted with irritation of the blad- 

 der, and all its attendant discomforts, are 

 greatly benefited by bee-stings. A few can 

 be extracted from the bees and taken each 

 morning and night; or let them sting you. 

 The pain resulting is slight compared with 

 the intolerance of the trouble. 



Some authorities assert that the daily 

 use of honey is an infallible preventive of 

 gravel or stone in the bladder, by those 

 predisposed to this affliction. Also such as 

 have had, or may have, calculi in the kid- 

 neys, or in the gall-bladder — but of this I 

 cannot state from personal observation. 

 However, the remedy is certainly pleasant 

 and well worth trying. 



Yes, and do you know that for swollen, 

 dropsical limbs, where even the toes are 

 puffed and stiff, that if you let a bee sting 

 the swollen parts a few times it will greatly 

 relieve and sometimes entirely cure ? 

 "Ouch!'" — no, you needn't fear, you'll 

 hardly feel the sting. Just try it and re- 

 port. It ought to be done every other day. 



But I must stop right here, much as I dis- 

 like to do so, because so much can be said 

 of the usefulness of bees and honey, but I 

 fear my readers will think I'm an apiarist 

 trying to sell colonies ! But I'm not. 



Tlie Young Mother. 



There is so much that young mothers 

 should know in regard to the ''before and 

 after '' that I would feel a personal respon- 

 sibility for their safety did I not attempt 

 to at least suggest ways and means by 

 which the best interest of mother and child 

 can be subserved. 



A daily bath— first tepid, then cold water 

 as can be comfortably borne, followed by 

 brisk rubbing with a rough towel until the 

 skin is in fine glow, is one of the most de- 

 lightful sanitary measures, and must not 

 be omitted. After it, full breathing exer- 

 cise, lying flat on your back, on bed or 

 lounge, taking full, deep inspirations for, 

 say 10 minutes, then a comfortable walk of 

 half an hour or more, after which general 

 household duties can be engaged in. 



The diet should consist largely of fruits 

 and vegetables, little or no meat, coffee or 

 tea ; chocolate, milk or water instead. 



Now, little woman, if you will follow 



