THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 3

THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

Hair brushes arc best cleaned by washing them in saleratus or soda water, which removes all the oil coating. To cure toothache, take of chloroform, spirits of camphor, laudanum, of each one drachm. . Apply on a little cotton wool. Grated rotten-stone mixed in either sweet oil or alcohol will polish brass; or kerosine oil and a flannel cloth • or aapobp. ._ j ...

■. If a child has a bad earache, dip a plug of cotton wool in olive oil,' warm it ; and place'it' in the ear. Wrap up the.head and keep it out of draughts. '-'■■,■■'■■ '■■■: : ■•■■ ■ Two drops of. laudanum in half-a-teaspoon-ful of wariii water,' and dropped into the. ears, will «ive immediate relief to : persons troubled with neuralgia. " •■ .-.'■•'. To remove ink ami fruit stains:-Ton grams oxalic aciil in lialf-piut water; wet the article stained in hot water.; apply to the top of the bottle; so that the liquid will reach it; then'rinse it!well. : • ■ - ■■■ : ■. . Black cotton glove 3; will not erafckj the hands if scalded in salt water before wearing. The salt prevents fading. When almost dry, one should put them on, in order to stretch them and keep them in good shape. Cure for chapped hands : One part of glycerine, four of: Pond's extract of witch hazel, four of water; put in a bottle'and shake well ; it is ready for use immediately •' it is well to shake thoroughly each time, ol using. ■■■.'■:.■) ~! ' .:.■■::.■: ■ ; ' :'.. A certain;cure for a felon'is to wind a cloth loosely about" the finger, leaving the end free. Pour in common gunpowder till the afllicted part is entirely covered.. Keep the whole wet .with strong, spirits of camphor. , : . -■". ~. .;: ~_ , Beeswax arid salt will nialce flat-irons as cleaii and smooth asglass. Tie a lump of wax in'a rag and keep it for that purpose. • When the irons are hot rub them with tJie wax rag : ;: then scour with : a paper or rag. sprinkled :withsalt. ■" ~"",' ' ' " ... ' '■"' ' '. Tlie inhalation of air charged with, am- 1 mbikia vapours,-as a remedy for whooping;cough, has been tried in France withsuccess. |Qne of ths methods .of., application., employed is - boiling strong ammonia in the room where the'patient is." "' ' ''"' '.."." If you wish to polish up" your- : furniture;' mix equal parts of vinegar, spirits of .turpentine and sweet oil in. "a bottle,- and apply , with a flannel cloth, rubbing afterwards' :with a chamois or piece of silk. ' It is better ithan a coat of varnish. : '■ '->' :! '■'■ ' '■ "- j . Bleeding at .the nose can be stopped by ■vigorous action of the jaws, as if in progress j of mastication. ,j In tlie case of a child a wad : of papershould Ve placed in the mouth and ■the child instructed to chew hard. It is the motion of the jaw that stops the flow of !blood. ..-. '• ■-, '.; ' ..:,:-. ... ..

The pain of. a sprained limb is quickly i removed by ice-cold water. ' ;Tlie terrible ' pangs of whitlow or felon' are' cut short by intense heat. ■■ A large .proportion ■ of all cramps and spasm can be relieved by water of proper temperature and intelligently ap- '. plied. ' ' ".''.'" ' .■■ ' ■ To- prevent flies from injuring picture frames, glasses, &c, boil three or four onions in a pint of water ; then with a gilding brush ! go over your glasses and frames, and the flies j will not alight, on the article so washed; This may be used'without'apprehension, as it will not do the least injury to tlie frames. To soften hard water: Take two pounds of washing soda and,one pound of common lime, and boil 'in.' five gallons of water for two or three hours; theu'stand away to settle and dip off the clear water from the top and put it,in a jug. . Can. be used for washing dishes or cleaning ; and one toacupful in a boiler of clothes, put in after the water is hot, ■'will-whiten the clothes and soften the water without injury to the hande or clothes. . , . ' .. , .