Description:

c1903 The Ladies New Medical Guide Antique Victorian Book.

This is one of the Best books on all things woman, with respect to the Victorian age, and it is entitled "The Ladies' New Medical Guide", written by Dr. Pancoast in 1890. The front has several full color, fold-out views of the female body, quite scandalous for a book of its time.

The first is "A Picture of Health and Beauty", a lovely lass--flip back the woman's head and it reveals a scandalous view of both a man and woman with only "drawers" on them, and opposite those two is an internal organ color view of the chest and pelvis of a Victorian woman--the next page has a 4th and 8th month view of pregnancy--and opposite that is an incredible layered view of the female anatomy, with the organs of reproduction, showing a baby's position at actual time of birth, and twins at time of birth!--the lower portion of the body has 2 fold-out partitions.

It touts "Marvelous Wonders of the Human Body", Instructor, Counsellor and Friend, in all the delicate and wonderful matters peculiar to women, fully explaining the nature and mystery of the reproductive organs in both sexes--Love, Courtship, Marriage, Pregnancy, Labor, and Childbirth--with the causes, symptoms, and treatment of all their own special diseases, and the diseases of children; how to retain health and beauty, and suggestions for the toilet, etc."--much valuable hygienic i nstruction, intended to increase beauty, lengthen life, and promote happiness.

The primary chapter headers are thus, with definitive sub-chapters in each:

The Females Sexual Organs (external and internal)--anatomy or structure of the unimpregnated ovum--ovum of the human female--development of the ova--male organs of generation--functions of the human testicles--hermaphrodism--menstruation--generation (of sperm)--nature's institutes for the procreation and perpetuation of the human species--pregnancy--labor--lactation--over-productiveness--extra uterine pregnancy--termatology or congenital deformities--woman's sphere of action--physical perfection--diseases of females and children--toilet.

The toilet itself is quite a hoot, with verbiage on complexion pastes, removing flesh and fleshworms, lavender water, flower water, freckle wash, lemon cream for sunburn--the wearing of the hair--how to dress the hair--diseases of the hair--direction for its management--hair dyes--cause and treatment of foul breath and how to secure a fragrant breath!

It goes on to speak of children and how to dress them and the required amount of sleep for children--hygiene and care of the aged--care of the eyes and tooth powders--time lost by sleeping too long--exercise, horseback riding--as well as a table of medicine and doses, and even a section on the expectation of life at various ages (kind of like an actuarial table).

(The following excerpts were taken with an optical reader, please excuse any typo’s…)

An interesting quote about labor and a tonic that can be taken: “…Take one teaspoonful every one or two hours, so long as the nausea continues. If the vomiting be severe, repeat the dose every half hour till partially relieved ; then every one or two hours afterward. Laudanum injection by the rectum may also be used : sixty drops to one pint of starch. The sickness being occasioned bv the sympathy of the womb, the laudanum will annul the sympathy and relieve the sickness. If there be much prostration and weakness at pit of the stomach from the effects of vomiting, a mustard plaster may be applied to the stomach, and some port wine made into a sangaree taken as a drink.”

Another interesting tidbit on cow milk for infants: “…Should cows milk be selected from the same, it should be boiled before given to the child. It should be pure and unadulterated. The milk of commerce is often sophisticated in order to give it opacity. The substances used for such purpose, are chalk, flour, starch, the brains of sheep and water — the latter very commonly.”

On breast milk: “…"The secretion of milk proceeds from a tranquil state of the mind. With a cheerful temper, the milk is regularly abundant and agrees well with the child On the contrary, a fretful temper lessens the quantity of milk, makes it thin and serous, and causes it to disturb the child's bowels, producing intestinal fevers and much griping. Fits of anger produce a very irritating milk, followed by griping in the infant, with green stools. Grief has a great influence on lactation, and consequently upon the child. The loss of a near and dear relative, or change of fortune, will often so much diminish the secretion of milk as to render ad- ventitious aid necessary for the support of the child, Anxiety of mind diminishes the quantity and alters the quality of the milk. The reception of a letter which leaves the mind in anxious suspense, lessens the draught, and the breasts become empty. If the child be ill, and the mother is anxious respecting it, she complains to her medical attendant that she has little milk, and that her infant is griped, and has frequent green and frothy stools. Fea- has a powerful influence on the secretion of milk. I am informed by a medical man who practices rnuch among the poor that the apprehension, of the brutal conduct of a drunken husband, will put a stop for a time to the secretion of milk. When this happens, the breasts feel knotted and hard, flaccid from the absence of milk, and that which is secreted is highly irritating, and some time elapses before a healthy secretion re- turns. Terror which is sudden, and great fear, instantly stops the secretion. A nurse was hired, and in the morning she had abundance of milk, but having to go fifty miles to the place at which the parents of the child resided, in a common diligence, the horses proved restive and the passengers were in much danger. When the nurse, who had been greatly terrified, arrived at her place, at the end of the journey, the milk had entirely disappeared, and the secretion could not be reproduced, although she was stimulated by spirits, medicines, and by the best local applications a medical man could suggest. A lady in excellent health and a good nurse, was overturned in her pony-chaise, and when she returned home and greatly alarmed, she had no milk ; nor did it return and she was obliged to wean her child."

On THE RELATIVE BEAUTY OF THE MALE AND FEMALE FORMS: It is only by carefully regarding the admirable models of the ancients that we can gain correct notations of manly beauty and female loveliness.

Both should be proportionally developed in their separate systems. The female should have the nutritive elements predominating, while the male should excel in the nervous or mental and locomotive.

Weak haunches in the male indicate lumbar weakness, and overgrowth in the procreant functions. On the contrary, wide haunches are a beauty to the female, proving that the reproductive organs are well-developed.

A well-formed man should have his shoulders wider and more prominent than his hips. A well-formed woman should be the reverse. He should taper from the shoulders up and down — she should taper up and down from the abdomen and hips.

The female should have shoulders and chest small but compact, arms and limbs relatively short; her hips apart and elevated, her abdomen large, and her thighs voluminous. The male should be large about the chest, to indicate expansive lungs; small around the hips to imply locomotive power and vigor.

The length of the neck should be proportionably less in man than woman, because the "dependence of the mental system on the nutritive is connected with the shorter distance of the vessels of the neck.

The back of woman should be more hollow than that of man, to give sufficient depth for parturition The loins of woman should be more extended at the expense of the superior and inferior parts, than in man, to allow easy gestation. The surface of the whole female form should be characterized by plumpness, elasticity, delicacy and smoothness, because this is not only essential to beauty in woman, but is necessary for the gradual and easy expansion of her person during gestation and delivery. Man should be muscular and wiry, as indicative of strength and energy.

The principal object of a true man's discourse should be what is useful; that of a true woman's that which is agreeable. There should be nothing in common in their discourse but truth — nothing in their feelings but mutual affection.

On Men’s Hair: It is ascertained that a full head of hair, beard and whiskers, are a prevention against colds and consumptions. Occasionally, however, it is found necessary to remove the hair from the head, in cases of fever or disease, to stay the inflammatory symptoms, and to relieve the brain. The head should invariably be kept cool. Close night-caps are unhealthy, and smoking-caps and coverings for the head within doors are alike detrimental to the free growth of the hair weakening it, and causing it to fall out.

On LONG HAIR PROPER IN WOMEN: Long hair is considered a special adornment of woman. The beautiful features and personal attractions of the fair sex, are always enhanced by this ornament, Whether the auburn tresses fall in graceful fold, the rich and glossy curls are bound with roses, or " The long dark hair, Floats upon the forehead in loose waves unbraided," either style will equally serve to set off the ensemble of female loveliness.”

A Hair Tonic: Sulphur, 1 drachm. Sagar of lead, 1 drachm. Rose-water, 4 ounces.

Mix them well. Shake the vial on using it. Saturate the head thoroughly with it at bed- time, and bandage the hair to prevent soiling the pillow. In the morning wash with soap and water. It does not dye the hair, but seems to restore the original color. To Remove Superfluous Hair: With these who dislike the use of arsenic, the following is used for removing superfluous hair from the skin : — Lime, one ounce; carbonate of potash, two ounces; charcoal powder, one drachm. For use, make it into a paste with a little warm water, and apply it to the part, previously shaved close. As soon as it has become thoroughly dry, it may be washed off with a little warm water.

Coloring for Eyelashes and Eyebrows: In eyelashes, the chief element of beauty consists in their being long and glossy ; the eyebrows should be finely arched and clearly divided from each other. The most innocent darkener of the brow is the ex- pressed juice of the elder-berry, or a burnt clove. The following innoxious compound, however, will have a more permanent effect : — Dissolve in one ounce of distilled water, one drachm of sulphate of iron, and one ounce of gum-water, and a teaspoonful of Eau de Cologne ; mix, and having wetted the eyebrows with the tincture of galls, apply the wash with a camelhair pencil. The deepening the color of the brow is a most venial artifice, for light eyebrows always impart a very vacant and simple expression to the countenance and invariably counteract the effect of the most brilliant eyes or 'the finest features. The flashing fullness of the eye depends, of course, chiefly on its form and color ; but the eyelashes assist the effect considerably ; and as it is only over these we possess any power, it may be considered a secret worth knowing, to learn the system adopted for their improvement by the Circassians. Observing that hair left to itself seldom grows long, but either splits at the top into two or more forks, or becomes smaller, with a fine gossamer point which never increases its growth, they remove with a pair of scissors the forked and gossamer- like points of the lashes, and, their growth being renewed, they become long, finely curved, and of an enviable silken gloss. The clipping may be repeated every six weeks, but no more should be removed than these points.

The following dentifrice is much recommended by Dentists: Prepared chalk, two parts. Pulverized orris root, two parts. Pulverized pumice-stone, one part. Any of the essential oils, a few drops. This may be used twice a week, in the morning particularly, should there be any accumulation of tartar. The Castile soap and cold water should not be omitted even for a single day. Rinse the mouth with cold water after using the foregoing dentifrice.

The section on “In Plain Words” goes into detail on venereal diseases, masturbation, and the solitary vice…! The effect of the abuse is gradually revealed. The child loses its bright complexion, becomes pale, with a greenish tint around the eyes, which are sunken, surrounded by blue margins. The lips lose their vermilion hue; the mind is indolent; the child sits as if engaged in deep thought, without looking at anything. It is averse to play, seeks solitary places where it can indulge in its vicious propensities. It becomes obstinate, peevish, irritable ; its motions are slow and heavy, while it is startled and looks frightened when suddenly spoken to and bidden to do anything It will sleep late in the morning, but without being refreshed on getting up. It loses its appetite ; its digestion is greatly impaired; the tongue becomes coated; there is much emaciation ; the intellect grows weaker and weaker, until imbecility and idiocy overwhelm the victim. Such consequences may continue for years, when the body finally succumbs to the terrible ravages of complicated maladies. Thus the young life perishes even before it has begun to bud, as a young plant withers away at whose root a worm has been gnawing, Truly, there is no more degrading bondage than that of one's own lusts.

As for men, the seminal secretion takes place very slowly in the continent man — so slowly, in fact, that little or none is formed in healthy adults whose attention is not directed to sexual subjects, or who take a great deal of strong exercise.

Recipe for perfume: Cosmetics are substances applied to the skin, hair, teeth, nails, etc., to improve their appearance. None of them are essential to health ; some are positively harmful. "A number of cases are on record of poisoning from the use of face powders. Such powders as contain lead are the most dangerous. To remove the shine of the skin in hot weather, a little powder may be allowable, but the simplest, and such as is made at home — as powdered starch or rice flour — only should be used.

FORMULA FOR A TOILET COLOGNE. Oil of bergamot 4 drachms. Oil of lemon, oil of orange, lavender, of each . . . 1 J drachms. Oil of cloves, neroli, of each £ drachm. Oil of cinnamon . . 15 drops. Deodorized alcohol 3 pints. Rose water 6 ounces.

Care of the Hands: To prevent the cracking and roughness of the hands, so common in winter, cold water alone should be used, and soap used only sparingly. The hands should not be washed just before going out of doors ; but, if they are washed then, rub in a little good grease, as cosmoline, to prevent the action of the air. Skin gloves, as kid, dog-skin, castor, or buckskin, should always be worn in cold weather. Silk or woolen gloves are more likely to .give rise to chapping. If the hands have become chapped, anoint at bedtime with tallow, cold cream, or cosmoline ; put on an old pair of gloves, and in the morning merely wipe off, do not wash, the hands.

For Whitening the Hands. — Take a wine-glassful of cologne water, and another of lemon juice, then scrape two cakes of brown Windsor soap to a powder, and mix well in a mould. When hard, it will be an excellent soap for whitening the hands.

Recipes for Household Remedies (just a sampling…):

HYGIENE AND HOUSEHOLD RECIPES.

Damp Walls. Line the damp part of the wall with sheet lead, rolled very thin, and fastened up with small copper nails ; it may be immediately covered with paper, and so hidden from view. The lead is not to be thicker than that which lines tea chests.

Whitewash for Rooms. Take four pounds of whiting and two ounces of common glue ; let the glue stand in cold water over night, then heat it until dissolved and pour it hot into the whiting mixed with cold water. This makes a nice, smooth whitewash.

Whitewash that will not Rub Off. Mix up half a pailful of lime and water ready to put on the wall ; then take one-fourth pint of flour, mix it with water, then pour on it a sufficient quantity of boiling water to thicken it, and pour it while hot into the whitewash ; stir all well together and use.

Painting and Papering. Painting and papering are best done in cold weather, especially the former, for the wood absorbs the oil of paint much more in warm weather, while in cold weather the oil hardens on the outside, mak- ing a coat which will protect the wood instead of soaking into it. Milk Paint.

Mix water lime with skim-milk to proper consistency to apply with brush, and it is ready for use ; it will adhere well to wood, smooth or rough, to brick, mortar, or stone, where oil has not been used, and it forms a very hard substance as durable as the best of paint; any color which' is desirable may be had by using colors dissolved in whiskey.

To Clean Brass. Finelv-rubbed bichromate of potassa, mixed with twice its bulk of sulphuric acid, and an equal quantity of water, will clean the dirtiest brass very quickly.

To Clean Bricks. To remove the green that gathers on bricks, pour over them boil- in^ water in which anv vegetables, not greasy, have been boiled ; repeat for a few davs and the green will disappear. For the red wash, melt one ounce of glue in one gallon of water: while hot, add alum the size of an egg, one-half pound Venetian red ; one pound Spanish brown ; if too light, add more red and brown : if too dark, water. By experimenting, the color desired may be had.

Marrow Pomade for the Hair.

Marrow, a quarter pound ; lard, a quarter pound ; castor oil, six ounces ; salad oil, six ounces ; palm oil, half ounce ; scent with oil of bergamot ; melt the lard and palm oil together ; then strain it, and strain the marrow ; mix all well together, until nearly cold and put in pots.

Perfume for Linen. Lavender flowers, half pound (free from stalk) ; dried thyme and mint, of each, half ounce ; ground cloves and carroway, of each, a quarter ounce ; common salt dried, one ounce ; mix well together, and put into cambric or silk bags.

Chapped Hands. Unsalted lard, a quarter pound ; yolks of two new-laid eggs, rose water to mix well ; add a large spoonful of honey, and enough of fine oatmeal or almond flour to work it into a paste.

On and on it goes, with comprehensive, homeopathic, and yet often a sort of quack medicine to keep the body in check. This book is chock full of amazing topics!

There are many engravings or illustrations throughout this book, many of female anatomy. It measures 5.5 x 8 inches, a large volume at 600 pages, quite comprehensive. It is in VG condition and the pages have a nice patina, and most are very clean. Some of the information is still true today, while other parts are pure quack medicine! The hardbound cloth cover is the coveted light blue with black imprinting, as well as gilt text and 3 gilt cupids at the top, and light marbling to the paper edges. The cover boards and spine have minimal wear for a book of its age. The inside hinges are intact, text block is tight and without writing nor unsightly blemishes. This book is just a beautiful source of information on women's hygiene and cosmetics at the turn of the 1900 century--probably the best we've ever come across. In short, it is amazing and oh so entertaining--more photos available upon request.

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