Old Remedies and Recipes

Posted by Barney on April 04, 2002

In Reply to: Old Remedies and Recipes posted by Gary on April 03, 2002

: : While trawling through my attic over the Easter Weekend I came across an old book - leather bound in poor condition and dated 1734 - entitled "A collection of over 300 Receipts in Cookery Physick and Surgery for the use of Good Wives, Tender Mothers and Careful Nurses' - 5th edition; so there must be loads of copies out there somewhere. It was printed in London for the Executrix of Mary Kettilby and sold/fold (the printed 'f' and 's' in this edition are identical letters) by W Parker at the King's Head in St. Paul's Churchyard.

: : It's full of blood curdling potions for diseases I can only guess at and recipes for dishes such a Cheese Curd Pudding, The London-Wigs, A Westphalia-Ham Pie and even a cure for sore nipples which includes ingredients such as Salad oil, Red Lead, Red Sealing Wax and Bees Wax - the cures sound worse that the diseases.

: : Just thought it might interest you literary types and perhaps someone might even recognise this obviously popular early 18th century book.

: Lets hope it doesn't contain that old poem 'Where the Bee sucks, there suck I'

Nope but it does contain this:

"To Cure Deafness and Noise in the Head

Put your own Urine into a Pewter Dish, and cover with another; then put some Coals under; and when 'tis hot, brush off the clear water that hangs on the upper Dish with a Feather, and drop it into the Ear: This has done great Cures."

Now whose political speeches does that remind you of?

• Old Remedies and Recipes Bob 04/05/02