HINTS FOK THE SICK-ROOM

immediately to a hot oven ; bake about thirty minutes. Practice will teach just the proper consistency of the batter, and the best temperature of the uven. It will not be good unless well beaten.

Raspberry Vinegar. — Pour over two quarts of raspberries in a stone jar, one quart of very best vinegar ; let stand twenty-four hours, strain, and pour liquor over fresh fruit, and let stand in the same way ; allow one pound sugar to a pint of juice ; put into a stone jar and set in pot of boiling water one hour; skim well, put into bottles, cork and seal tight. Diluted with water this is very nice for the sick. Toasted bread may be eaten with it.

Blackberry Wine — To every gallon of bruised berries, add half a gadon of soft cold water ; let stand twenty-four hours, then strain. To every gallon juice, add three pounds sugar; fill a cask and let it remain without moving or shaking until it has fermented, which it will have done in six weeks. Put over the mouth of-the cask a thin piece of muslin. When fermentation has ceased, draw off the wine and bottle without shaking cask. Cork and seal.

Strawberry Acid. — Dissolve five ounces tartaric acid in two quarts of water, and pour it upon twelve pounds of strawberries in a porcelain kettle ; let it simmer forty-eight hours ; strain it, taking care not to bruise the fruit. To every pint of juice add one and one-half pounds of sugar and stir until dissolved, then leave it a few days. Bottle and cork tightly ; if a slight fer- mentation takes place leave the cork out a few days. Then cork, seal and keep bottles in a cool place.

Royal Strawberry Acid. — Take three pounds ripe strawberries, two ounces citric acid, and one quart of water; dissolve the acid in the water and pour it over the berries ; let them stand in a cool place twenty-four hours, draw- off, and pour in three pounds more of berries, and let it stand twenty-four hours. Add to the liquor its own weight of sugar, boil three or four minutes each day for three days, then cork tightlj' and seal. Keep in a dry and cool place .

Arrowroot Blanc-mange. — Make as directed in Creams and Custards, cooling in individual molds. In ''■•■^(^

serving, a dainty way is on a .,'k-N^-*

tray with cream and sugar and a small vase of flowers, as il- lustrated. Any of the blanc- manges or jellies given in this department may be served thus and prove much more appetiz- ing to the patient.

Oatmeal Cakes. — Take equal parts fine oatmeal and water ; mix and pour into a jian about one-third of an inch deep and bake half an hour, or until crisp and slightly brown ; or make half an inch thick and bake soft like a johnny-cake ; or if the oven is not hot enouo-h to bake, pour it into a frying-pan, cover it and bake it on the top of the stove dishing it when brown on the bottom. It is not good cold. If any be left' warm it up and it is almost as good as new. '

Oatmeal Pie-crust.— This is made exactly like the dough for crackers • it may be rolled a very little thinner. It bakes quickly, so that care must be taken not to scorch it in cooking the contents of the pie. It is not suited for an upper crust, but does admirably for pies that require but one crust. It is

1188 HINTS FOR THI': SICK-ROOM.

just the thinj; for those who do not think shortened pie-crusts wholesome, and it is good enougli for any one. One can eat it with as much impunity as su much oatmeal mush and fruit sauce.

Mutton Broth. — Put two pounds of mutton and two quarts cold water to l)oil, add one tablespoon rice washed carefully through several waters. Let it boil till the meat will leave the bone, and the rice is cooked to a liquid mass. Take from the lire, season with a little salt ; skin, if preferred. If for a patient with Hux leave on all the fat (the more fat the better.)

This is also a nice way to make Chicken Broth. Take a chicken size of a quail and prepare as above.

Uncooked Egg. — This is quite palatable, and very strengthening, and may be ])repared in a variety of ways. Break an egg into a goblet and beat thoroughly, add a teaspoon sugar, and after beating a moment add a tea-spoon or two of brandy or port wine; beat well and add as much I'ich milk, or part cream and milk, as there is of the mixture. Or, omit brandy and flavor with any kind of spice ; or, milk need not be added, or the egg and sugar may be beaten sepa- rately, wine or brandy added, stirring in lightly the well- whipjH'd whites at the last, and thus made it should fill a goblet to overflowing. Juice of a lemon in place of brandy gives Lemon Egg-nog.

Oatmeal Grvel. — Put two heaping tablespoons oatmeal H^j^^^^^^ in one quart cold water, stir till it commences to boil, then cook one hour, stirring occasionally ; do not let it scorch ; season with salt, sugar, and any spice desired. For infants and very sick I)atients it must be strained, and not salted; or take two cups Irish or Scotch oatmeal, two quarts water and teaspoon salt. Let oatmeal soak overnight in half the water. In the morning strain through a coarse netting bag, pressing thi'ough all the farinaceous matter that will go. Add the rest of the water with the salt, and boil down until it begins to thicken perceptibly. Let it cool enough to become almost a jelly, and eat with powdered sugar and cream.

Cracked Wheat Pudding. — To one quart new or unskimmed milk add one- third cup cracked wheat, same of sugar (or a little more if preferred), a little salt and small luece of stick cinnamon. Place in moderate oven and bake two hours or iDiiger. When about half done stir in the crust already formed, and it will form another sutficiently brown. When done the wheat will be very soft, and the pudding of a creamv consistency. It can be eaten hot or cold, and is nice for invalids. A handful of raisins added is considered an improvement by some.

Fruit Farina. — Sprinkle three tablespoonfuls of farina into one quart of boiling milk, using a sauce-pan set into a kettle of boiling water, in order to ])revent burning; flavor and sweeten to taste, and boil for half an hour, stir- ring occasionally ; then add one i>int of any ripe berries, or sliced apples, and boil until the fruit is cooked, about twenty minutes : the pudding may be boiled in a mold or a cloth after the fruit is added. Serve with powdered sugar.

Broiled Beefsteak. — Many times a small piece of "tenderloin" or "porter- house" is more wholesome, for an invalid, than broths and teas; and with this may Ix- served a potato, roasted in the ashes, dressed with sweet cream (or a little butter) and salt, or nicely co(')ked tomatoes. Have the steak from half an inch to an inch thick, broil carefully two or three minutes over hot

HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM. HoU

coals, turning often with a knife and fork, so as not to pierce it. When done, put on a small dish, season slightly with salt and pepper, and a small bit of butter, garnisli with tlie potato, and serve hot.

Stewed Oysters.- Keinove all bits of shell from a half dozen fresh, select oysters, place in a colander, pour over a teacup of water, drain, place liquor drained oft' in a porcelain-lined sauce-pan, let come to boiling point, skim well ; pour off into another heated dish, all except the last spoonful which will contain sediment and bits of shell which may have been overlooked, wipe out sauce-pan, return liquor, add oysters, let come to the boiling point, add a smaU lump of good butter, a teaspoon of cracker-dust, a very little cayenne pepper and salt, and a half teacup fresh, sweet cream.

Oatmeal Relish. — Boil one gill oatmeal in three pints boiling water till water is reduced one-third, then strain and cool the gruel, let settle and pour the liquid part carefully away from the sediment. Use it hot or cold as pre- ferred with sugar and any fruit juice. Two tablespoons of raisins may be added to gruel while boiling. The effect of raisins is gently laxative but if used in excess they sometimes cause indigestion and flatulence.

To Make Kumyss. — Take three quarts of good, rich, sweet milk ; one quart of hot water, in which dissolve one-half pint sugar; add the hot water to the milk ; when the mixture is luke warm add three tablespoons of brew- er's yeast; set in a moderately warm place, stir often, and, when it begins to sparkle (which will be in aljout one and a half hours), put it into strong bottles and cork tight ; put in a cool place and in eight hours it will be ready for nse. Procure a champagne tap (cost $1), and draw the best kumyss "ever made.

Prepared Flour for Summer Complaint. — Take a double handful of flour, tie up tightly in cloth and put in a kettle of boiling water, boil from three to six hours, take out, remove the cloth, and you will have a hard, round ball. Keep in a dry, cool place, and when wanted for use, prepare by plac- ing some sweet milk (new alwaws preferred) to boil, and grating into the milk from the ball enough to make it as thick as you desire, stirring it just before removing from the stove with a stick of cinnamon ; this gives it ii pleasant flavor ; put a little salt into the milk. Very good for children hav- ing the summer complaint.

ililk Porridge. — Place on stove in skillet one pint new sweet milk and a very little pinch of salt; when it boils liave ready sifted flour, and sprinkle with one hand into the boiling miJk, stirring all the while with a spoon. Keep adding flour until it is about the consistency of thick molasses ; eat warm with a little butter and sugar. This is excellent for children suffering with summer complaint. Or, mix the flour wilh a little cold milk until a smooth paste, and then stir into the boiled milk. Or break an egg into the dry flour and rub it with the hands until it is all in fine crumbs (size of a grain of wheat), then stir this mixture into the boiling milk.

Bran Biscuit — Take cup bran (as prepared by Davis & Taylor, 24 Canal Street, Boston), five cups sifted flour; scald the bran at tea-time with half pint boiling water; when cool, pour it into the middle of the flour, add one- half cup good yeast (or part of a yeast-cake, soaked till light), one teaspoon salt, and two tablespoons sugar; wet with new milk into soft dough, much thicker than blotter. Let it stand, covered closely, in a warm place to rise. In the morning, spoon into hot gem or patty-pans, and bake in a quick oven to a brown crust. Part of the dough may be baked in a small loaf to be eaten warm. (It can be made with water by using a little butter, but it is not so good.)any remaining may be split for dinner or toasted for tea.

1140 HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM.

Oat-mcal Wafers. — Use equal parts water and oat-meal, make as thin as vou can shake it out on the bottom of pan, so that when done it will not be thicker than a knife-blade anywhere, and in most places you can see day- light through it. Bake very slowly until quite dry, watching that it may not scorch. In taking out it will probably break into many fragments, but they will be delicious ones — not shapely for the table, but so temptingly savored that any delicate person who can eat at all will find them satisfying, nour- ishing, and easily digested — far better than the standard sick dish called gruel. ' As for the well folks, put your wafers out of the way if you expect to find any of them for the invalid's'next meal.

Blackberry Cordial. — Put a half bushel of blackberries in a preserving- kettle and cook until scalded through well ; strain and press out all the juice ; put juice in kettle with the following spices well broken up and put into a bag; one-quarter pound allspice, two ounces cinnamon-bark two ounces cloves, and two nutmegs; add loaf-sugar, about one pound to every quart of juice or more if preferred, and cook slowly ten or fifteen minutes, remove from the fire, let cool a little, and add good" pure brandy in the proportion of one pint to every three pints of juice. A smaller quantity may be made, using the same proportions. This is an excellent remedy for diarrhoea and other diseases of the bowels.

Good Toast. — Toast slices of bread, scrape off any blackened, charred portion ; lay on a soup plate, pour on cold milk enough to wet through, and leave half an inch or so in depth of milk in the plate. Good milk, with a little extra cream in it, is all the better, and a very trifle of salt improves it. Put over the toast thus prepared, an inverted large earthen bowl, or tin basin, large enough to cover it and set down upon the plate all round. Put this in a warm, not very hot, stove oven, two, three, or more hours in advance. The milk will cook and evaporate and its substance be condensed in the toast while the cover will keep the toast moist. It is then very good without butter, though a little may be used if desired.

Beef Broth. — Cut in small pieces one pound of good lean beef, put on in two quarts of cold water and boil slowly, keeping it well covered, one and one-half hours ; then add half a teacup tapioca, which has been soaked three-quarters of an hour in water enough to cover, and boil half an hour longer. Some add, with the taj)ioca, a small bit of parsley, and a slice or two of onion. Strain before serving, seasoning slightly with pepper and salt. It is more strengthing to add, just before serving, a soft poached egg. Rice mav be used instead of tapioca, straining the broth, and adding one or two tablespoons rice (soaked for a short time), and then boiling half an hour.

Meat for Invalidi. — The following method of rendering raw meat pal- atable to invalids is given by good authority. To 8.7 ounces of raw meat, from the loin, add 2.6 ounces shelled sweet almonds, .17 ounces shelled bitter almonds, and 2.8 ounces white sugar — these to be beaten together in a marble mortar to a uniform pulp, and the fibres separated by a strainer. The pulp, which has a rosy hue, and a very agreeable taste, does not remind one of meat, and may be kept fresh for a considerable time, even in summer, in a dry, cool place. Yolk of egg may be added to it. From this pulp, or directly from the above substance, an emulsion may be prepared which will be rendered much more nutritious by adding milk.

Articles for the Sick-Room. — A rubber bag, holding two quarts, to be one- half or three-quarters filled with hot water, and placed about the patient where needed— under head in neuralgia, around the side in liver conge.'^tion, etc. ; or can be filled with very cold water in cases needing such aj)plications

HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM. 1141

— is very flexible and agreeable, and can be used where a soap-stone or bot- tle would hurt.

A pair of very long, loose stockings, knit of Saxony wool, or any soft yarn, without heels, to draw on towards morning in fever cases, or to keep patient warm when she is up ; they might come half way between the knee and thigh. Every housekeeper should have a pair to be used in cases of sickness.

Oatmeal Crackers. — Wet one pint of fine oatmeal with one gill water* work it a few minutes with a spoon, until you can make it up into a mass '; place on a board well covered with dry oatmeal ; make as compact as you can, and roll out carefully to one-sixth of an inch thick, and cut into squares with a knife. Bake in a very slow oven, or merely scald at first; and then let them stand in the oven until they dry out. These are difficult to make up at first, but you soon learn to handle the dough and to watch oven so that they will not scorch. These are excellent for all the purposes of crackers, and if kept dry, or if packed in oatmeal, they will last good for months. This is one form of the Scotch 'bannock." A rich addition is two heaping spoons of ground dessicated cocoanut.

Old-time Food for Convalescents. — Roast good potatoes in hot ashes and coals ; when done, put in a coarse cloth and squeeze with the hand, and take out the inside on a plate. Put a slice of good pickled pork on a stick three or four feet long, hold before a wood fire until it cooks slightly, then dip into a pan of water and let it drip on the potato to season it ; repeat until the meat is nicely cooked on one side, then turn the other, dip in water, etc. When done place on plate beside the potato, serve with a slice of toast dressed with hot water and a little vinegar and salt, or use sweet cream in- stead of vinegar. A cup of sage tea, made by pouring boiling water on a few leaves of sage and allow it to stand a few minutes, served with cream and sugar, is very nice ; or crust coflTee, or any herb tea is good. Food pre- pared in this way obviates the use of butter.

Beef Tea.— Cut pound best lean steak in small pieces, place in glass fruit jar (a perfect one), cover tightly and set in a pot of cold water ; heat gradu- ally to boil, and continue this steadily three or four hours, until the meat is like white rags and the juice thoroughly extracted ; season with very little salt, and strain through a wire strainer. Serve either warm or cold. To prevent jar toppling over, tie a string around the top part, and hang over a stick laid across the top of pot. When done, set kettle off" stove and let cool before removing the jar, and in this way prevent breakage. Or, when beef- tea is wanted for immediate use, place in a common pint bowl (yellow ware) add very little water, cover with saucer, and place in a moderate oven ; if in danger of burning add a little more water. To make beef-tea more palatable for some patients, freeze it.

Cornmeal Gruel. — Add three pints boiling water, two tablospoons corn- meal, stirred up with a little cold water ; add a pinch of salt and cook twenty minutes. For very sick persons, let it settle, pour off the top, and give with- out other seasoning. For convalescents, toast a piece of bread nicely, and put in the gruel with one or two tablespoons sweet cream, a little sugar and ginger, or nutmeg and cinnamon. When a laxative diet is allowed this is very nourishjjig. Or, take a pint of meal, pour over it a quart or more of cold water, stir up, let settle a moment, and pour off. the water; repeat this three times, then put the washed meal into three quarts of cold water, and place where it will boil ; cook three hours, and when done add a pinch of salt. This is a very delicate way of cooking, and it may be eaten with or without other seasoning.

1142 HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM.

Boiled Flour or Flour Ball. — Take one quart good flour; tie in a pud- ding bag so tightly as to make a solid mass ; put into a pot of boiling water early in the morning, and let boil until bedtime; takeout and let dry. In the morning, peel ofl'and throw away the thin rind of dough, and with a nutmeg-grater, grate down the hard dry mass into a powder. Of this from one to three teasjxjons may he used, by first rubbing it into a ]»aste with a little milk, then adding it to al^cjut a pint of milk, and, linally, by bringing the whole to just the boiling-point. Give through a nursing-bottle. For children who are costive use branmeal or unbolted flour instead of white flour, preparing as above directed.

Rice Water. — AVash four tablespoons of rice ; put it into two quarts of water, which boil down to one quart, and tlien add sugar and a little nut- meg. This makes a pleasant drink. A pint or half a pint of milk added to the rice water, before it is taken from the fire, gives a nourishing food suit- able for cases of diarrhea. Sago, tapioca, barley, or cracked corn can be prepared in the same manner.

Beef Tea. — Take a pound of juicy lean be-3f and mince it. Put it with its juice into an earthen vessel containing a pint of tepid water, and let the whole stand for one hour. Slowly heat to boiling point, and let it boil for three minutes. Strain liquid through a colander, and stir in a little salt. If preferred, a little pepper or allspice may be added.

Mutton Tea may be prepared in the same way. It makes an agreeable change when the patient has become tired of beef tea.

JRaw Beef for Children. — Take half a pound of juicy beef, free from any fat; mince it very finely; then rub it into a smooth pulp either in a mortar or with an ordinary potato-masher, and press it through a fine sieve. Spread a little out upon a plate and sprinkle over it some salt, or some sugar if the child prefers it. Give it alone or spread u])on al)uttered slice of stale bread. It makes an excellent food for children with dysentery.

Articles Easy of Digestion. — The following articles are readily digested by a healthy stomach, and can be digested with comparative ease by most dyspeptics :