Dr. Chase's Recipes, or Information for Everybody: An Invaluable Collection of about Eight Hundred Practical Recipes for Merchants, Grocers, ... Painters, Jewellers, Blacksmiths, Tinn

The title says "An Invaluable Collection of About Eight Hundred Practical Recipes".The term "Invaluable", as used in the title, is no exaggeration or overstatement, the collection is,in my view, quite invaluable both as a historical recordas well as from a technical and practical viewpoint.In my opinion every family should have this book on their shelves.The collection of "recipes" as they are called, is a veritable treasure trove.I've never learned so much about how to make or do so many different things in such a short sitting.I'd always wondered how certain things were done in the past.Now, I have a handy resource and can duplicate just about any of the methods or remedies contained therein.These are things my grandparents did as a matter of course.There is everything there from blacksmithing to farming, to pharmacy ready remedies.The "recipes" are well researched, tested and written, of broad scope, of great practicality and timeless usefulness.Dr. Chase was well respected and much sought after by pharmacists and farmers,merchants and doctors and common housewives because the recipes work, they areeffective, efficient and have been successfully tested before being released.For this reason they became a standard in their time.He was what we would call a household name and like the "McGuffey Reader"most people at the turn of the 20th century had one of these books to refer to.The volume itself is beautiful and warm to the touch.From its gold embossed, green cloth binding to its lithographic illustrationsand its old advertisementsit is pleasure to hold, thumb through and an honor to preserve.The information contained in this book now makes it a priceless heirloomI can be proud to pass down to my grandchildren, hoping it will teach themto be more self reliant, resourceful, natural and independent.

I have an ancient copy of this book handed down from my great-great grandmother. My copy is dog-earred and so worn the cover cannot be deciphered, but I've always loved thumbing through to find remedies for various complaints. In addition, Dr. Chase knows when to plant crops, how to care for farm animals, how to make basic household conveniences such as soap, baskets, spinning, weaving, churning butter...you name it, he has it in this book. Some of the remedies for illnesses might seem like they're from the Inquisition, but even simple poultices can be used today with great results. I wouldn't recommend dosing your child with kreosote, but amid the obvious bad advice are gems to be used in today's world. This copy of the book is much easier to read than my over 100 years-old copy, but the language is quaint and the book is an entertaining piece of Americana.

It is fun to look up the old time remedies. They used a lot of opium, laudanum and whiskey. Also, a lot of ingredients that require research to identify. Many of them are not readily available today.

Very interesting and gives lots useful information. Must buy!