Important: Safety Warning
This page contains cosmetic recipes using substances now known to be poisonous, such as lead, mercury, or arsenic compounds, which cause cumulative and serious harm when absorbed through the skin or eyes.
In addition, this page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Ointment of Lead
Take of olive oil, 1/2 pint; white wax, 2 ounces; sugar of lead, 3 drachms. Let the sugar of lead, reduced to a fine powder, be rubbed with some of the oil, and added to the other ingredients, previously melted together, stirring them till quite cold. This cooling astringent ointment may be used in all cases where the intention is to dry and skin over the part, in scalding, &c. over a moderate heat to the consistence of salve. Apply it to the part affected.