Search

This notebook (241 pages) contains medicinal recipes as well as instructions for making other health, beauty, and household products. It contains several newspaper clippings and paper inserts, including one letter by Pierre Du Bois.

The entries are arranged alphabetically, with tabs marking each letter. The volume bears a torn origin label of Piccadilly, "...chester" on inside front cover. Concoctions include beauty lotion, cordials, kola koka, blood purifier, and cures for St. Vitus's Dance, anemia, and dandruff. Also present are tinctures, salves, ointments, cures, and preventatives. A few agricultural items respect calf drench and a substance for ewes after lambing. Some newspaper clippings respect aquarium cement and curry powder. Additional paper inserts include various formulas, a letter from Pierre to his father, and basic Spanish phrases on a sheet with the Venezuelan Consulate (Baltimore) letterhead.

The Gray family papers document the family relationships of William and Eckley Gray, while serving in the Union Army, and Lucy Doan Gray, William's wife and Eckley's mother, as she managed the family farm in New Salem, Illinois.

The papers of William and Eckley Gray present an unusual view of side-by-side service of a father and son during the Civil War. As a junior officer and enlisted man, respectively, the Grays present strikingly different personalities, the stable and directed father paired with his unstable and seemingly rudderless son. Information on military aspects of the war is relatively scarce in the Gray papers. However, the collection provides excellent insight into the effect of the war on family relationships, hinting obliquely at some of the long term effects that the war had on some of its participants.

In a sense, the heart of the collection is the letters written by Lucy Gray. More than anything, the anguished tone of her letters stands out, as she pleads with the men to return home and assist the family and farm, or as she complains about the Eckley's profligacy, drinking and gambling. The tension between mother and son, and his occasional, half-hearted efforts to patch things between them take on a particularly tragic tone given the apparent aimlessness of his later life and his death by drug abuse.

Among the more interesting individual letters in the collection are three letters from Eckley to his mother, one describing a night-time bombardment at Vicksburg (1863 July 9), another discussing the anti-Lincoln attitudes of the soldiers of the Veterans Reserve Corps (1864 October 10), and an extraordinary letter (July 19, 1864), bemoaning Lincoln's latest call for troops and his apparent inhumanity.

The Gray Family Papers include a manuscript receipt book dating circa 1840s-1860s, which belonged to William Gray. The recipes are largely medicinal, including entries for treatment of influenza, Dr. Thomas Hopes remedy for cholera morbus, a powder of mandrake, plaster for a lame back, Beeches Black salve, saline laxative, Beeches emetic, anti-billious powder, lotion for "Falling of the hair & Impetigo," a treatment that "cured Mr Gess's boy of Epilepsy of five years Standing The boy is 9 years old," mild counter-irritating linaments, ipicac, lotion for "falling of The hair and all scaly Eruptions," paste for piles, Dr. White's Toothache Drops, diaphoretic powder, a treatment "for Secondary Syphilis," and a treatment for cholera. Opium is an ingredient in multiple recipes. Non-medical recipes include an entry for making gunpowder from sawdust and several short recipes for corn bread and tea bread.

Dr. H. A. Bolles of Cortland, New York, copied medicinal recipes into this volume in or around 1876.

Dr. H. A. Bolles of Cortland, New York, copied recipes for medical treatments in this volume in or around 1876 (the volume contains 300 pages, over half of which are used). Many of the entries are arranged alphabetically by ailment, and some illnesses have multiple suggested treatments and cures. A few recipes are attributed to other doctors and outside sources such as a volume of Materia Medica. The book contains syrups and other mixtures intended to treat chronic conditions, diseases, and afflictions such as acne and baldness. The first few pages include instructions for working with cocaine, converting older medical measurements, and producing an aphrodisiac. One of these notes cautions against mixing chrome acid and glycerin on account of the risk of explosion. A recipe in the back of the volume purports to "remove all bad odors." A few late pages contain lists of medical substances and the ailments they may be used to treat, as well as notes regarding the use of oxygen gas and nitrous oxide. A clipping from The OD Quarterly concerns a method for testing the acidity of urine and recommended dietary guidelines for those suffering from uric acid, gravel, gout, or rheumatism.

This collection comprises 28 American manuscript recipe books dated from 1793 to 1959 with the bulk dating from the nineteenth century. One of the books contains portions in German, while the rest are in English. Most regions of the United States are present, with the Northeast and Southern States best represented. Desserts represent the bulk of the recipes, cakes being the most popular. Some recipes include attributes to friends, family, or cookbooks, and some contain notes on quality of the dish. Directions for making medicinal remedies and practical household needs (such as cleaning product recipes or advice on fabric care) may also be included. Many volumes contain handwritten or printed inserts.

This collection comprises 28 American manuscript recipe books dated from 1793 to 1959 with the bulk dating from the nineteenth century. One of the books contains portions in German, while the rest are in English. Most regions of the United States are present, with the Northeast and Southern States best represented. Desserts represent the bulk of the recipes cakes being the most popular. Some recipes include attributes to friends, family, or cookbooks, and some contain notes on quality of the dish. Directions for making medicinal remedies and practical household needs (such as cleaning product recipes or advice on fabric care) may also be included. Many volumes contain handwritten or printed inserts.

All or most of the known authors of these recipe books appear to be by women. A man, James Campbell, authored the accounting portion of the Campbell receipt book and a male writer may have created the Manuscript Recipe Book, [1838]. Emma Hinricks Hilken is the only one known to have resided outside the United States when writing her recipe book (she resided in Frankfurt, Germany, for several years following her marriage). The women range in age from teenagers to the elderly and represent a variety of social backgrounds. Most of the recipe books were written or compiled in the second half of the nineteenth century, with some extending into the early twentieth. Approximately one-fifth of them were written in the first half of the nineteenth century or earlier.

See the box and folder listing below for a complete descriptive list of the recipe books present in this collection.

Margaret ("Peggy") Montgomery kept this copybook in 1809 to practice her penmanship. She copied religious and moral proverbs, poems, and passages, as well as short phrases, alphabets, and examples of financial receipts. The place name "Windham" appears throughout the volume, but no state is provided. At the back of the volume, from May to June 1838, Margaret Montgomery documented accusations that she had stolen teaspoons and detailed her interactions related to the matter. An undated medicinal recipe and directions for its use appear near the end of the volume for the treatment of an unspecified complaint.

Margaret ("Peggy") Montgomery kept this copybook in 1809 to practice her penmanship. She copied religious and moral proverbs, poems, and passages, as well as short phrases, alphabets, and examples of financial receipts. The place name "Windham" appears throughout the volume, but no state is provided. At the back of the volume, from May to June 1838, Margaret Montgomery documented accusations that she had stolen teaspoons and detailed her interactions related to the matter. An undated medicinal recipe and directions for its use appear near the end of the volume for the treatment of an unspecified complaint.

M. B. Hartzell, a physician working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, maintained this memoranda and account book between 1878 and 1880. He kept notes on poisons and their antidotes, recorded patients' names, addresses, and number of physician visits, and documented charges and payments. He occasionally wrote notes about medical literature to read and what appears to be case notes and medicines prescribed. He tended wounds, abscesses, and burns, treated venereal diseases, performed gynecological and obstetrical services, and gave vaccinations, among other services.

M. B. Hartzell, a physician working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, maintained this memoranda and account book between 1878 and 1880. He kept notes on poisons and their antidotes, recorded patients' names, addresses, and number of physician visits, and documented charges and payments. He occasionally wrote notes about medical literature to read and what appears to be case notes and medicines prescribed. He tended wounds, abscesses, and burns, treated venereal diseases, performed gynecological and obstetrical services, and gave vaccinations, among other services.

At least two entries appear to be related to African American patients (October 9-10, 1878, and August 26-27, 1879). A blank prescription slip is laid into the volume, and notes at the end of the volume list out obstetrical cases, document children to be vaccinated, and provide recipes for prescriptions. A circular diagram is drawn on the rear paste down, with notations of calendar dates and a record of numbers for each month, possibly related to tallying medical cases for the year but further research is needed.

Richard D. Morison, a physician from Hardin County, Ohio, used this volume to record financial accounts, essays, medicinal recipes, and notes. The essays pertain to religious topics and, in one case, women's suffrage.

Richard D. Morison, a physician from Hardin County, Ohio, used this volume to record financial accounts, essays, medicinal recipes, and notes. The essays pertain to religious topics and, in one case, women's suffrage.

The volume, originally intended as a ledger, contains 162 numbered pages, which follow approximately 14 pages with alphabetical tabs. The bulk of the volume consists of financial accounts between Morison and his patients, as well as essays on theological and other subjects. The medical accounts (pages 1-73) are organized by patient. Morison usually recorded the individual's name, hometown, and occupation (or relation to other patients); many lived or studied in Ada, Ohio. Each "treatment" cost less than $2.00, and most were given between September and December 1884. Other financial records concern Morison's rent payments to Carson Prime in September and October 1884 (page 3a), rent payments Morison received from boarders in 1901 and 1902 (page 110), accounts regarding foodstuffs and other items from 1895-1902 (pages 111-112), and expenses for "Repairs to R.R. property" made in October 1907 (pages 115-117).

Morison wrote essays, recipes, and notes throughout the volume, including on the blank pages between patient records. Most essays concern religious topics such as morality, the afterlife, sectarianism, and good and evil. Other topics include scientific subjects such as atmospheric science and the human circulatory system, and genealogical information about 16th century British monarchs. Morison wrote one essay in support of women's suffrage (beginning on page 56), and recorded recipes for diseases, pains, injuries, and other medical ailments.

London apothecary William P. Marshall compiled notes on medical ailments, descriptions of chemicals and medicines, and formulae for medical treatments in this volume, entitled "Medical Manipulation."

In 1830, London apothecary William P. Marshall compiled notes on medical ailments, descriptions of chemicals and medicines, and formulae for medical treatments in an 89-page volume entitled "Medical Manipulation." Marshall wrote directly in the volume and on pages pasted into the volume.

The book's formal title is "Medical Manipulation: An Œconomical Farrago of Galenical Anomalies with Pathological Remarks by Wm. P. Marshall, M.R.C.S., Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries &c. &c." The first title page contains a colored drawing of a shield with the inscription "Resurgere in Cœlo," below a skull sitting on a shelf. The second page includes a clipping with a printed illustration of a skull and crossbones. Roughly half of the pages have notes about general pathology, respiration, the voice, expectoration, "percussion," the heart, and diagnosis. The other pages primarily have pasted-in notes about, and formulae for, medicines and chemicals used for medical treatments. One of these notes is in poetic form ("Materia Medica," pp. 10, 12). The pasted-in pages cover older notes written directly into the volume.

Newspaper clippings about various medical subjects, including one on "lunatics" (p. 78) and many formulae, are affixed to many pages. One clipping has a reprinted poem "Found in the Skeleton Case at the Royal Academy" (p. 57), and at least two articles are in Spanish. The front endpaper has a price list from J. Warrick & Co. chemical importers in London, England.

This collection is made up of correspondence, scrapbooks, and advertisements related to W. L. Cummings, who was a doctor in Syracuse, New York, during the early 20th century. The material largely pertains to traveling doctors and patent medicines.

This collection (0.5 linear feet) is made up of correspondence, scrapbooks, and advertisements related to W. L. Cummings, who was a doctor in Syracuse, New York, during the early 20th century. The material largely pertains to traveling doctors and patent medicines.

The Correspondence series contains 10 letters that W. L. Cummings received from September 16, 1912-August 31, 1928, and on January 22, 1941. Trevey Slack, a traveling doctor, wrote 6 letters to Cummings from September 16, 1912-May 26, 1913. He described his experiences in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri, and provided information on medical treatments, other traveling doctors, and the medical profession. In his letter of November 25, 1912, he commented on doctors who put on vaudeville performances. Other letters include formulas for a liniment and a stomach remedy (March 22, 1918, and January 22, 1941).

The Speeches series includes 2 speech drafts concerning the effectiveness of patent medicine and a medicine called "Sangvine."

Cummings's 1905 Account Book contains dated records of his income and expenses.

Two Scrapbooks contain recipes, printed advertisements, newspaper clippings, labels, and other items related to medical ailments and treatments, medicines, and household products. The first scrapbook (144 pages), dated November 5, 1914, includes items from and related to A. W. Lithgow, such as recipes for medicinal formulas and household cleaners, as well as a "pedler's license" issued to Lithgow by the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The second scrapbook (approximately 40 pages) contains printed items related to medicines and household cleaners.

The Printed Items series (36 items) includes advertisements for medicines and related products. Some items are mounted on cards with other advertisements. Broadsides, notices, and other items relate to medical remedies and patent medicines, including an advertisement for "Perfecto Hair Tonic and Dandruff Remover" produced by W. L. Cummings in Unadilla Forks, New York. Also present are blank contract forms for potential distributors of products of the Cooperative Chemical Company. Other material pertains to vaudeville performances, life insurance, and a contest. The Pamphlets subseries (15 items) contains 4 pamphlets that Cummings wrote from 1910-1925: 3 about household formulas, and 1entitled "The Pathway to Prosperity." This subseries also includes pamphlets about patent medicines and women's diseases, as well as Lydia E. Pinkham's "Letters to a Young Housewife."