The Toilet of Flora

Rub the head and chin with this mixture, after they have been shaved.

19. A Fluid to die the Hair of a flaxen Colour

Take a quart of Lye prepared from the Ashes of Vine Twigs; Briony, Celandine Roots, and Turmeric, of each half an ounce; Saffron and Lily Roots, of each two drachms; Flowers of Mullein, Yellow Stechas, Broom, and St. John's-wort, of each a drachm; boil these ingredients together, and strain off the Liquor clear.

Frequently wash the hair with this fluid, and in a little time it will change to a beautiful flaxen colour.

20. A perfumed Basket

Place a layer of perfumed Cotton extremely thin and even on a piece of Taffety stretched in a frame; strew on it some Violet Powder, and then some Cypress Powder; cover the whole with another piece of Taffety: nothing more remains to complete the work, but to quilt it, and cut it of the size of the basket, trimming the edges with ribband.

21. Natural Cosmetics

The Juice that issues from the Birch-Tree, when wounded with an auger in spring, is detersive and excellent to clear the complexion: the same virtue is attributed to its distilled water. Some people recommend Strawberry-water; others the decoction of Orpiment, and some Frog-spawn-water.

22. A remedy for Corns on the Feet

Roast a Clove of Garlic, or an Onion, on a live coal or in hot ashes; apply it to the corn, and fasten it on with a piece of cloth. This softens the corn to such a degree, as to loosen and wholly remove it in two or three days. Foment the corn every other night in warm water, after which renew the application.

The same intention will be yet more effectually answered by applying to the corn a bit of the plaster of Diachylon with the Gums, spread on a small piece of linen; removing it occasionally to foment the corn with warm water, and pare off the softened part with a penknife.

23. A Coral Stick for the Teeth

Make a stiff Paste with Tooth Powder and a sufficient quantity of Mucilage of Gum Tragacanth: form with this Paste little cylindrical Rollers, the thickness of a large goose quill, and about three inches in length. Dry them in the shade. The method of using this stick is to rub it against the teeth, which become cleaner in proportion as it wastes.

24. A receipt to clean the Teeth and Gums, and make the Flesh grow close to the Root of the Enamel

Take an ounce of Myrrh in fine powder, two spoonfuls of the best white Honey, and a little green Sage in fine powder; mix them well together, and rub the teeth and gums with a little of this Balsam every night and morning.

25. Ditto, to strengthen the Gums and fasten loose Teeth

Dissolve an ounce of Myrrh as much as possible in half a pint of Red Wine and the same quantity of Oil of Almonds: Wash the mouth with this fluid every morning.

This is also an excellent remedy against worms in the teeth.

26. Another

Dissolve a drachm of Cachoe (an Indian perfume) in a quart of Red Wine, and use it for washing the mouth.

27. Or rather

Bruise Tobacco Roots in a mortar, and rub the teeth and gums with a linen cloth dipped in the Juice. You may also put some Tobacco bruised between the fingers into the hollow of the tooth. Or take the green Leaves of a Plum-tree, or of Rosemary, and boil them in Lees of Wine or Vinegar; gargle the mouth with the Wine as hot as you can bear it, and repeat it frequently.

28. For rotten Teeth

Make a balsam with a sufficient quantity of Honey, two scruples of Myrrh in fine powder, a scruple of Gum Juniper, and ten grains of Roch Alum. Frequently apply this mixture to the decayed tooth.

29. A liquid Remedy for decayed Teeth

Take a pint of the Juice of the Wild Gourd, a quarter of a pound of Mulberry Bark, and Pellitory of Spain, each three ounces; Roch Alum, Sal Gem, and Borax, of each half an ounce. Put these ingredients into a glass vessel, and distill in a sand heat to dryness; take of this liquor and Brandy, each an equal part, and wash the mouth with them warm. This mixture removes all putridity, and cleanses away dead flesh.

30. A Powder to clean the Teeth

Take Dragon's Blood and Cinnamon, of each one ounce and a half, Burnt Alum, or Cream of Tartar, one ounce; beat all together into a very fine powder, and rub a little on the teeth every other day.

31. A Remedy for sore Gums and loose Teeth

Boil Oak Leaves in spring-water, and add to the decoction a few drops of Spirit of Sulphur. Gargle the mouth with a little of this liquor every morning while necessary.

32. An approved Receipt against that troublesome Complaint, called the Teeth set on Edge

Purslain, Sorrel, Sweet or Bitter Almonds, Walnuts, or burnt Bread, chewed, will certainly remove this disagreeable sensation.

33. A Liquid for cleansing the Teeth

Take Lemon Juice, two ounces, Burnt Alum and Salt, of each six grains; boil them together about a minute in a glazed pipkin, and then strain through a linen cloth. The method of application is to wrap a bit of clean rag round the end of a stick, dipping it in the Liquid, and rub it gently against the teeth. You must be careful not to have too much of the Liquid on the rag, for fear it should excoriate the gums or inside of the mouth. This application ought not to be used above once every two or three months.

34. A sure Preservative from the Tooth Ache, and Defluxions on the Gums or Teeth

After having washed your mouth with water, as cleanliness and indeed health requires, you should every morning rince the mouth with a tea spoonful of Lavender-Water mixed with an equal quantity of warm or cold water, whichever you like best, to diminish its activity. This simple and innocent remedy is a certain preservative, the success of which has been confirmed by long experience.

35. A Method to make the Teeth beautifully white

Take Gum Tragacanth, one ounce; Pumice-stone, two drachms; Gum Arabic, half an ounce; and Crystals of Tartar, finely powdered, one ounce; dissolve the Gums in Rose-water, and adding to it the powder, form the whole into little sticks, which are to be dried slowly in the shade, and afterwards kept for use.

36. Or,

Take dried Leaves of Hyssop, Wild Thyme, and Mint, of each half an ounce; Roch Alum, prepared Hartshorn, and Salt, of each a drachm; calcine these ingredients together in a pot placed on burning coals; when sufficiently calcined, add of Pepper and Mastic, each half a drachm, and of Myrrh a scruple; reduce the whole into a fine powder, and make them into a proper consistence with Storax dissolved in Rose-water. Rub the teeth with a small bit of this Mixture every morning, and afterwards wash the mouth with warm Wine.

37. Or,

Dip a piece of clean rag in Vinegar of Squills, and rub the teeth and gums with it. This not only whitens, but fastens and strengthens the roots of the teeth, and corrects an offensive breath.

38. Or,

Take Rose-water, Syrup of Violets, clarified Honey, and Plantain-water, of each half an ounce; Spirit of Vitriol one ounce; mix them together. Rub the teeth with a linen rag moistened in this Liquor, and then rince the mouth with equal parts of Rose and Plantain-water.

39. Or,

Rub them well with Nettle or Tobacco Ashes, or rather with Vine Ashes mixed with a little Honey.

40. A Powder to cleanse the Teeth

Take prepared Coral and Dragons-blood, of each an ounce; Cinnamon and Cloves, of each six drachms; Cuttle-bone, and calcined Egg-shells, of each half an ounce; Sea Salt decrepitated, a drachm, all in fine powder: mix them in a marble mortar.

41. The following was communicated by Mr. Rae, Surgeon Dentist, in the Adelphi, London

Take of Cuttlefish-bone, and the finest prepared Chalk, each half an ounce; Peruvian Bark, and Florentine Iris Root, each two drachms: reduce the whole into a fine Powder, and mix them. This may be coloured with a little Rose Pink, and scented with a few drops of Oil of Cinnamon.