Bad breath from catarrh, foul stomach, or bad teeth, may be temporarily relieved by diluting a little bromo chloralum with eight or ten parts of water, and using it as a gargle, and swallowing a few drops before going out.  A pint of bromo chloralum costs fifty cents, but a small vial will last a long time.

SHAVING COMPOUND.

Half a pound of plain, white soap, dissolved in a small quantity of alcohol, as little as can be used; add a tablespoonful of pulverized borax.  Shave the soap and put it in a small tin basin or cup; place it on the fire in a dish of boiling water; when melted, add the alcohol, and remove from the fire; stir in oil of bergamot sufficient to perfume it.

BARBER’S SHAMPOO MIXTURE.

Dissolve half an ounce of carbonate of ammonia and one ounce of borax in one quart of water; then add two ounces of glycerine in three quarts of New England rum, and one quart of bay rum.  Moisten the hair with this liquid; shampoo with the hands until a light lather is formed; then wash off with plenty of clean water.

RAZOR-STROP PASTE.

Wet the strop with a little sweet oil, and apply a little flour of emery evenly over the surface.

CAMPHOR ICE.

Melt together over a water bath white wax and spermaceti each one ounce, camphor two ounces, sweet almond oil, one pound, then triturate until the mixture has become homogeneous, and allow one pound of rose-water to flow in slowly during the operation.  Excellent for chapped lips or hands.

ODORIFEROUS OR SWEET-SCENTING BAGS.

Lavender flowers one ounce, pulverized orris, two drachms, bruised rosemary leaves half ounce, musk five grains, attar of rose five drops.  Mix well, sew up in small flat muslin bags, and cover them with fancy silk or satin.

These are very nice to keep in your bureau drawers or trunk, as the perfume penetrates through the contents of the trunk or drawers.  An acceptable present to a single gentleman.

HOW TO KEEP BRUSHES CLEAN.

The best way in which to clean hair-brushes is with spirits of ammonia, as its effect is immediate.  No rubbing is required, and cold water can be used just as successfully as warm.  Take a tablespoonful of ammonia to a quart of water, dip the hair part of the brush without wetting the ivory, and in a moment the grease is removed; then rinse in cold water, shake well, and dry in the air, but not in the sun.  Soda and soap soften the bristles and invariably turn the ivory yellow.

TOILET ITEMS.

Mutton tallow is considered excellent to soften the hands.  It may be rubbed on at any time when the hands are perfectly dry, but the best time is when retiring, and an old pair of soft, large gloves thoroughly covered on the inside with the tallow and glycerine in equal parts, melted together, can be worn during the night with the most satisfactory results.