A CURE FOR DROPSY
(SAID TO BE INFALLIBLE).Take a jug of stone or earthenware, and put four quarts of strong,
healthy cider into it; take two handfuls of parsley roots and tops, cut it fine;
a handful of scraped horse-radish, two tablespoonfuls of bruised mustard-
seed, half an ounce of squills, and half an ounce of juniper berries; put all
these in the jug, and place it near the fire for 24 hours so as to keep the cider
warm, and shake it up often; then strain it through a cloth and keep it for
use. To a grown person give half a wineglassful three times a day, on an
empty stomach. But if necessary you may increase the dose, although it
must decrease again as soon as the water is carried off, and, as stated before,
use dry victuals and exercise gently.
This remedy has cured a great many persons, and among them a woman
of 70 years of age, who had the dropsy so badly that she was afraid to get
out of bed, for fear her skin might burst, and who it was thought could not
live but a few days. She used this remedy according to the directions given,
and in less than a week the water had passed off her, the swelling of her
stomach fell, and in a few weeks afterward she again enjoyed perfect health.
Or: Drink for a few days very strong Bohea tea, and eat the leaves of it.
This simple means is said to have carried away the water from some
persons in three or four days, and freed them from the swelling, although
this disease had reached the highest pitch.
Or: Take three spoonfuls of rape-seed, and half an ounce of clean gum
myrrh, put these together in a quart of good old wine, and let it stand over
night in the room, keeping it well covered. Aged persons are to take two
teaspoonfuls of this an hour after supper, and the same before going to bed;
younger persons must diminish the quantity according to their age, and
continue the use of it as long as necessary.
Or: Take young branches of spruce pine, cut them into small pieces, pour
water on them and let them boil a while, then pour it into a large tub, take
off your clothes, and sit down over it, covering yourself and the tub with a
sheet or blanket, to prevent the vapor from escaping. When the water begins
to cool let some one put in hot bricks; and when you have thus been
sweating for a while, wrap the sheet or blanket close around you and go to
bed with it. A repetition of this for several days will free the system from all
water.
CURE FOR DROPSY.
Take of the broom-corn seed, well powdered and sifted, one drachm. Let
it steep twelve hours in a wineglass and a half of good, rich wine, and take it
in the morning fasting, having first shaken it so that the whole may be