Blood Clots

How do you prevent excessive blood clotting? Ginger was used to prevent excessive blood clotting, as was cayenne pepper.

Garlic was used to counteract a tendency for blood to clot too much, and olive oil was thought to reduce the risk of blood clots. Onions were used to thin the blood and dissolve blood clots, and broom was sometimes used as an anticoagulant.

Blushing

A suggested old cure for excessive blushing involved taking a half wine-glassful of an infusion containing gentian.

Bogbean

Bogbean is a plant that had various uses in herbal medicine. It was used as a tonic and to reduce fever. Constipation and obstruction of the bowels were also thought to be relieved by bogbean.

The plant was used to treat rheumatism and skin complaints and to reduce glandular swelling. In some areas bogbean was used in the treatment of stomach complaints, particularly ulcers.

Broken Bones

Home treatment of broken bones is quite difficult. You need to consult a doctor. But in any case, Comfrey was used to speed the knitting of broken bones.

Body Odor

For body odor home remedies, read more.

Before the days of patent deodorants and antiperspirants, it was suggested that the body odors could be kept at bay by washing twice a day with carbolic soap or coal tar soap then dusting oneself with boracic acid.

It was also suggested that socks and stockings should be dipped in a boracic lotion before being hung up to dry.

Boneset

Boneset is a plant of the daisy family, also known as feverwort and Indian sage.

It was used to treat the common cold, catarrh and influenza. In addition, it was regarded as being a tonic, an expectorant to bring up phlegm, a laxative, a stimulant and as a means of bringing down fevers.

Disorders of the bowel, stomach, liver, bowel and uterus were treated by it, as were some diseases.

Boils

There were various old methods for bringing a boil a head. One of these was the application of a flour and treacle poultice. Another one, and one that sounds agonizing, involved heating a glass jar with very hot water, pouring the water out of the jar, and placing the hot jar on the boil.

Poultices were made from watercress, lemon balm or honey and applied to the boil. More usual poultices made from bread and milk were also used to bring boils to a head. To draw the boil a paste of mashed cooked leeks was applied, and grated raw carrot was used in a poultice to speed up the healing process.

Onion juice was also used to cure boils, as was a poultice made from crushed boiled turnips. A burdock poultice could be used to reduce inflammation and a comfrey hot poultice to draw the pus. A compress using eucalyptus oil was thought to be effective in speeding the healing process. Horseradish was also used externally as a cure for boils.

Another folk cure to bring a boil to a head used an egg. The egg was boiled and the skin peeled from it while it was still wet. The skin was then placed on the boil.

Boils were also cured using Epsom salts. Sufferers from boils were advised to put some Epsom salts in a dish and place it in an oven until it became powdery. A little glycerin was then added and the mixture put on a piece of cloth or lint and placed on the boil.

Haricot beans were used in a cure for boils. The haricot beans were reduced to a powder and mixed with fenugreek and honey before being applied to the boil.

A simpler and more pleasant method used chamomile flowers. These were used in hot fomentation that were applied to the boil.

Some remedies were internal. A drink was made from the root of the duck plant and boiling water and taken to purify the blood. Alternatively, the centers of blackberry shoots were boiled, left to soak and strained. The resultant liquid was to be drunk every morning.

Boils were thought to be a sign that the sufferer was not in the best of health. Tonics and purgatives were recommended.

Borage

Borage in medical times was thought to promote courage. From early times it was thought also to have a cheering influence on people.

In herbal medicine it was used in many ways. As well as lifting the spirits, it was thought to have the ability to stop palpitations and to restore energy during a period of convalescence. It was used also to increase the production of sweat and as a diuretic in cases of fluid retention.

The symptoms of respiratory infections were also treated with it, as it relieved congestion and helped to bring up phlegm. Borage was used in the treatment of sore throats, chest infections and bronchitis.

A poultice made with the leaves and flowers of borage was used to relieve skin conditions, such as eczema and ringworm. A poultice made with borage was wrapped round painful joints in arthritis and gout.

Borage was used to make gargles and mouthwashes to treat sore throats, laryngitis or bleeding gums.

The leaves and seeds of borage were given to nursing mothers to increase their milk supply.

Increase Milk For Breastfeeding

How do you increase the milk for nursing mothers? Carrots were taken by nursing mothers to increase their milk supply. Parsley was taken to achieve the same effect, as were nettles. The leaves and seeds of borage were also thought to increase the flow of milk in nursing mothers.