Housekeeper.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 444, 20 October 1904, Page 7

Housekeeper.

NEURALGIA. AN English lady declares that a mustard plaster on the elbow will cure neuralgia in the face, and that one on the back of the neck will cure neuralgia in the head : and the reason given for this is ihat the mustard is said to touch the nerves directly it begins to bite ; while, if put on a part where no nerve exists, it is of no use. This lady states she has cured hundreds by this simple remedy. TO CLEAN GLASS. Wash the glass in hot water, and rub them up, when well rinsed with newspaper. This answers much bett'ar than wiping them with a cloth. If much stained, you will find that if torn-up pieces of newspaper are put into the decanters with plenty of hot water, and then well shaken up, the glass will be as pure as the proverbial crystal. Glass'windows always look better when cleaned in this way than when done by the more usual method. THE ABOLITION OF SfIDER WAISTS. Th® anti-corset crusade is now taking hold in London, and under the auspices of the Natural Health Society a league has been forme*d to abolish' spider waists.' ' Natural waists, or no wives,' is the motto of this league. Men as well as women are to be admitted to membership. Every female member is called upon to shun the corset as she would the plague. Not ODly must she forswear any tightly-fitting garment round the waist and suspend her clothing from the shoulders, but she must use every endeavour to suppress the corset and promote the adoption of healthy and artistic attire v The opinion is.expressed, regarding the corset and tight-lacing, that public opinion is being gradually: educated into a revolt against-w&at is always an unnecessary, and is often an extremely harmful, fashion. '■;...': >v DAINJY NECKWEAR. In size, lace and muslin collars are smaller than they were, but as dress accessories they remain as great in £heir significance as they were throughout last summer. A new collar is composed neither of muslin nor lace, but of cut linen,., embroidered with braid and buttons, and, il forms. aTvery beautiful ornament to a cloth bolero. There is 'a tendency, where cream-coloured lace collars are concerned, to give precedence to those of fine lace rather than coarse. Last year it was the guipure collar of deep ivory or butter colour that carried all before it, but just now collars of finer lace, such as imitation Brussels and Mechlin, are considered more fashionable. They are hardly so effective, however, on cloth gowns, but on, thinner materials they produce admirable effects and have the charm of novelty. Much responsibility is laid upon the small turn-over collar and the judge's tie, which are powerful elements in dress schemes of to-day. That part of the toilet that approaches the face must invariably be of special importance" general effect. There is great smartness in the turn-over of embroidered canvas or lawn with beneath it a black taffeta tie, and the judge's cravat of similar materials or of lace is. also a potent factor in finishing a blouse wisely and well.. iThe bibfbf "pleated ■ muslin edged with lace and attached to a folded collar-band of muslin, is another pretty ornament for the neck; while there are varieties of collar-bands with tabs of all lengths that trim to excellent advantage our silk and chiffon blouses and delaine skirts.

THINGS WORTH REMEMBERING: Neither a baby*.s. nor an invalid's bed should have heavy clothing on it. Only light blankets and quilts should be used. A simple toilet powder is made by mixing together two drachms of powdered orrisroot and six ounces of the best starch.

Bathing the fa'ce. night and morning with hot milk is recommended for keeping the skin soft and smooth.

Inflamed eyes usually find relief in being bathed with lukewarm water, in which a little boracic acid has been dissolved. . They should be dried immediately afterwards.

To improve thin arms, rub them every day with good cold cream or lanoline, and use dumbbells twice daily, for ten minutes at a time.

A. successful method of giving children powders is to. cut open a small piece, of, chocolate cream, insert the powder, and close the chocolate again. This is one. of the easiest ways of -inducing a child td ; fake a powder, and less sickly than the us"iial spoonful of jam. . .. :; •