Acids of all sorts are injurious to the teeth, and very hot or cold liquids discolour them.

The best toothpick is a finely-pointed stick of cedar.  Toothbrushes should not be too hard, and should be used, not only to the teeth, but to the gums, as friction is highly salutary to them.  To polish the front teeth, it is better to use a piece of flannel than a brush.

Toothache is a very painful malady, and the sufferer often flies to the most powerful spirits to obtain relief; but they afford only temporary ease, and lay the foundation for increased pain.  A poultice laid on the gum not too hot takes off inflammation, or laudanum and spirits of camphor applied to the cheek externally; or mix with spirits of camphor an equal quantity of myrrh, dilute it with warm water, and hold it in the mouth; also a few drops of laudanum and oil of cloves applied to decayed teeth often affords instantaneous relief.

Powdered cloves and powdered alum, rubbed on the gum and put in the diseased tooth will sometimes lessen the pain.

Toothache often proceeds from some irritation in the digestive organs or the nervous system:  in such cases pain can only be removed by proper medical treatment.

CHAPTER IV.

Hands.

Nothing contributes more to the elegance and refinement of a lady’s appearance than delicate hands; and it is surprising how much it is in the power of all, by proper care and attention, to improve them.  Gloves should be worn at every opportunity, and these should invariably be of kid; silk gloves and mittens, although pretty and tasteful, are far from fulfilling the same object.  The hands should be regularly washed in tepid water, as cold water hardens, and renders them liable to chap, while hot water wrinkles them.  All stains of ink, &c., should be immediately removed with lemon-juice and salt:  every lady should have a bottle of this mixture on her toilette ready prepared for the purpose.  The receipts which we have already given as emollients for the skin are suitable for softening the hands and rendering them smooth and delicate.  The nails require daily attention:  they should be cut every two or three days in an oval form.  A piece of flannel is better than a nail-brush to clean them with, as it does not separate the nail from the finger.

When dried, a little pummice-stone, finely powdered, with powdered orris-root, in the proportion of a quarter of a tea-spoonful to a tea-spoonful of the former, mixed together, and rubbed on the nails gently, gives them a fine polish, and removes all inequalities.

A piece of sponge, dipped in oil of roses and emery, may be used for the same purpose.

When the nails are disposed to break, a little oil or cold cream should be applied at night.

Sand-balls are excellent for removing hardness of the hands.  Palm soap, Castille soap, and those which are the least perfumed, should always be preferred.  Night-gloves are considered to make the hands white and soft, but they are attended with inconvenience, besides being very unwholesome; and the hands may be rendered as white as the nature of the complexion will allow, by constantly wearing gloves in the day-time, and using any of the emollients we have recommended for softening and improving the skin.