420 THE HOUSEHOLD. 



alum the size of two walnuts, borax the size of a shellbark. Mix these in- 

 gredients in a quart of water, and then stew them until reduced to a pint. 

 Shake the mixture previous to using it. 



(6) An excellent remedy for sore throat is brewers' yeast and honey — 

 four tablespoonfuls of the first and one teaspoouful of the latter. Mix in a 

 cup, and gai-gle the throat two or three times an hour. 



(7) Chlorate of potash dissolved in water is a standard remedy for sore 

 throat, particularly when the throat feels raw. 



(8) Use a gargle of a goblet half full of water, with a teaspoouful of com- 

 mon baking soda dissolved in it. 



Dieting for tiealtu. — This has sent many a one to the gi*ave, and will 

 send many more, because it is done injudiciously or ignorantly. One man 

 omits his dinner by a herculean effort, and thinking he has accomplished 

 wonders, expects wonderful results; but by the time supper is rc;idy, he feels 

 ai hungry as a dog, and eats like one — fast, furious and long. Next day he 

 is worse, and " don't believe in dieting" for the remainder of life. 



Others set out to starve themselves into health, imtil the system is 

 reduced so low that it has no power of resuscitation, and the man dies. 



To diet wisely, does not imply a total abstinence from all food, but the 

 taking of just enough, or of a quality adapted to the nature of the case. 

 Loose bowels weaken veiy rapidly — total abstinence from all food increases 

 the debility. In this case, food should be taken which, v/liile it tends to 

 arrest the disease, imparts nutriment and strength to the system. In this 

 case, rest on a bed, and eating boiled rice, after it has been parched like 

 coffee, will cure three cases out of four of common diarrhoea in a day or two. 



Others think that, in order to diet effectually, it is all important to do 

 without meat, but allow themselves the widest liberty in all else. But in 

 many cases, dyspeptic conditions of the system particularly, the course 

 ought to be reversed, because meat is couvci'ted into nutriment, with the 

 expenditure of less stomach power than vegetables, while a given amount of 

 work does three times as much good, gives three times as mtich nutriment 

 and strength as vegetable food would. 



!$cal<l Head. — This appearance is the result of a bad state of the system 

 — ba'd blood— the humors affecting the head often in consequence of neglect 

 of cleanliness, or too rough combing or brushing of the head. There are 

 cases in which wet cloths applied to the head, wet in arnica and water (four 

 parts of water to one of arnica), may soon remove the difficulty if theic is 

 not too much of impurity in the system seeking an cscapa in this way. 



Such a child should be much in the open air, bo regular in taking food, 

 eat the simplest kinds— the less the better of grouse, salt, and the sweets 

 generally. The parts maj' be bathed in aruica, glycerine or sweet oil, to 

 protect them from the irritation of the air, etc. 



In specially stubborn cases, it is well to pi-oduce an irritation in another 

 part of the body, by the mustard or blister plaster, diverting it from the head, 

 since the head is more likely to be attacked than most parts of the body. Its 

 appearance is not a misfortune, but the location is not the best. 



By no means use any sugar of lead or anything like it— an active poison — 

 and do not attempt to " dry it up," or suddenly cure it, since there is always 

 danger of driving it to some internal organ, some unsafe place; it is safer to 

 do nothing, allowing nature to care for it, than to do wrong. It is not best to 

 "(gabble " with unknown rcmedie*— poisoRS— or to listen to all told vou by 



