Areceipt book titled “Mrs. Winslow’s Domestic Receipt Book for 1864” offers comic relief; recipes; indispensable advice and remedies. On loan to the Museum of the Albemarle from the late Lemuel S. Blades III, it was used as a research tool for the exhibit commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War that is now on display at the Museum of the Albemarle. We hope you find these notations funny, yet valuable in some way:

Who Is Mrs. Winslow?

“As this question is frequently asked, we shall simply say that she is a lady who for upwards of thirty years has untiringly devoted her time and talents as a female physician and nurse, principally among children.

Wit and Humor

A Tippler, who squinted awfully, used sometimes to mourn that his eyes did not agree. ‘It’s lucky for you,’ replied his friend, ‘for if our eyes had been matches, your nose would have set them on fire long ago.’

Recipes

Railroad Cake

One cup flour, one cup sugar, one cup milk, three eggs, butter size of a walnut, one teaspoon-cream tartar, one-half teaspoon soda, little salt, nutmeg to taste. To be eaten fresh as it is plain.

Bath Buns

One-half pound flour, one-half pound butter, melted in a cup of cream, one teaspoon of yeast, three eggs, grated rinds of three lemons; mix; add one-half pound powdered white sugar; mix well; let it stand to rise; it will make 39 buns.

Advice

To prevent flies from injuring picture frames, boil three or four onions in one pint of water. Brush your frames over with the liquid. No fly will touch them, and it will not injure the frames.

Housewives who are horrified at the sight of ugly ink stains will like to get hold of a receipt for removing them. The moment the ink is spilled, take a little milk and saturate the stain; soak it up with a rag, and apply a little more milk, rubbing it well in. In a few minutes, the ink will be completely removed.

Oat straw is best for filling beds. It should be changed once a year.

Scotch snuff put on the holes where crickets come out will destroy them.

Remedies

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup certainly does, as the name implies, soothe the littler sufferer into a quiet, natural sleep, from which it awakes invigorated and refreshed. And for the cure of diseases incident to the period of teething, such as dysentery, diarrhea, wind colic, etc., we have never seen its equal. We have always been, and still are, opposed to the practice of drugging infants. This article has no deleterious effects whatever [sic], and from our own experience (we speak advisedly), we have every confidence in it, and can heartily recommend it to all mothers. Take our advice, use it, and you will as strongly recommend it to others as we have to you.”

Wanda Stiles is the curator at Museum of the Albemarle.