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Beef Tea.—Take lean beef, ½ lb.; cold water, ½ cup; a little salt, pepper, mace, or nutmeg. Directions—Cut the beef into small bits—¼ or ½ inch squares—and see that no particle of fat adheres to it; put into a bottle with the water and cork, placing the bottle in a pan of cold water upon a stove, and as soon as it reaches the boiling-point move it back, but keep it near the boiling point for 2 hours; then strain, pressing out the juices, and season with a little salt and a sprinkle of pepper, mace, or nutmeg, as preferred by the patient.

Beef Tea—Improved Flavor, by Broiling.—Take a nice steak and remove all the fat. Have a gridiron, perfectly clean—all particles of burned steak may easily be removed from the bars by placing it in hot water a few minutes when first taken from the fire; then scrape, or what is better, use a stiff brush, kept for this purpose. Have a very nice fire of coals, and place the steak upon the gridiron and broil, as usual, till it is ready to turn; then take off, having at least a qt. bowl with 1 pt. of boiling-hot water in it, and keep it standing by the fire, or on the back part of the stove, to keep it hot. Place the steak, when the first side is nicely broiled, in this bowl of hot water, and press it with the knife and fork—a stiff spoon is the best—to extract the juices of the meat. Repeat this broiling and pressing several times, turning the steak each time, till all the juices and strength of the steak are extracted; and if, at the last, the steak is cut into squares of an inch or a little more, and each piece pressed in a lemon-squeezer, its virtue, or strength, will all be obtained. It looks much like wine of itself; but still, if a teaspoon or so of wine is added to what may be taken at any one time, it will not injure the most delicate stomach, but will be borne, even by a delicate stomach, better than bread-water, while it, of course, is much more nourishing; and, if properly seasoned, it will be relished by the patient—much more so from the broiling.

Beef and Other Meat Teas Without Heat.—Take 1/3 lb. of fresh beef, mutton, poultry or game (the lean part only), minced very fine; place it in 14 ozs. of soft cold water (2 or 3 tablespoons less than 1 pt.) to which has been added a pinch or about 18 grs. of table salt, and three or four drops of muriatic acid; stir all with a wooden spoon (on account of the acid, which rusts iron), and set it aside for 1 hour, stirring it occasionally; then strain it through gauze, or a sieve, and wash the residue left on the sieve by means of 5 additional ozs. of cold soft water, pressing it so that all the soluble matter will be removed from the residue; mix the two strainings and the Extract is ready for use. It should be drunk freely every two or three hours.

Chicken Water.—Take half of a young chicken, divest it of the skin, remove the feet, and break all the bones. Put into 2 qts. of water and boil for half an hour; strain through muslin, and season with a little salt and pepper, if desired. It quenches the thirst and is quite nourishing for use when the strong teas or essences cannot be borne by the stomach. Straining through muslin removes or absorbs any oil or fat upon the surface, which cannot be dipped off.

Barley Water.—Pearl barley, 1 oz.; wash in cold water, and pour off; then boil it a few minutes, and pour off again, which removes a certain rank taste; now pour on boiling water, 1 qt.; and boil, in an open dish, until half evaporated; strain and season to the taste of the patient. It is nourishing and pleasant, hot or cold, as desired.

Egg-nog for the Sick.—Beat the yolk of 1 egg with 1 tablespoonful of pulverized sugar to the consistency of cream; grate in a little nutmeg; add 1 large tablespoonful of brandy and 2 of Madeira wine. Beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth, and mix in with 1 cup of nice sweet milk.

Remarks.—This is palatable, and for weak and feeble patients will be found very invigorating and strengthening, the true "Madeira" being rich in its tonic and invigorating qualities.

Raw Egg and Milk for Convalescents.—A fresh egg; milk, 1 cup; a little port or other wine, and a little sugar. Directions—Use only the yolk, beating thoroughly; then add the milk, and beat till foamy; then sugar and wine.

Remarks—Have this ready to be taken by convalescents when they feel the least fatigue on returning from exercise.

Milk Punch for the Sick.—Nice sweet milk, ½ pt.; white sugar, 2 tablespoonfuls; best brandy, 2 tablespoonfuls, ice. Directions—Dissolve the sugar in the milk, and add the brandy, stirring well.

Remarks—This punch has maintained the life of very sick persons when nothing else could be taken for several days, or until the natural forces returned to the rescue. Make cold with ice, or keep it on ice.

How to Reduce the Temperature of Sick-rooms and to Keep them Cool.—In very warm weather it is often desirable, for the comfort of the patient, to have the room considerably cooler than the natural atmosphere. In such cases raise the lower sashes entirely upon the side of the room from which the breeze comes; then have a piece of muslin soaking wet, squeeze slightly, and tack it on so as to make all the air come in through the wet muslin, which will reduce the temperature of the room 5 or 6 degrees in a few minutes. This is done by the absorption of a part of the heat in the atmosphere by the passing of the water in the muslin from its liquid to a gaseous state (a principle well known in philosophy), and the air of the room becomes more moist also, which makes it more endurable.

Remarks.—It only needs trying to satisfy the most incredulous, and it will benefit the very feeble patient more than enough to pay everyone for the trouble taken. As the cloths become dry, replace them with others, or keep them well wet with a sponge.

Ventilation of Sick-rooms and Sleeping-rooms—Avoiding the Draft over the Patient.—Have a piece of board made just as long as the width of the window; then raise the lower sash, and place the board under it. The width of the board may be 3 or 4 inches only, as this will allow a current of air to pass up between the glass and sash, breaking the draft that otherwise enters directly into the room when the sash is raised. In this way air may be admitted even at the head or back side of a sick-bed, for the curtain may be lowered to break the current from passing directly upon the patient. This plan is equally important in small and ill-ventilated sleeping-rooms. This much fresh air, at least, should be admitted into every sleeping-room, excepting the extremely cold and windy days of winter.

SWELLINGS TO REDUCE—Liniment for.—Rum, spirits of camphor, and laudanum, each 1 oz.; mix, shake well and keep corked. Directions—Heat the mixture hot (when using) and bathe the swelling thoroughly, at least 3 times daily, by pouring into the hand and thoroughly rubbing in. For a pin-scratch, or small pimple, a finger application will be sufficient.