Comments on: Things Worth Knowing, 1911 (3)

By: Anne (U.K.)

Anne (U.K.) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:48:15 +0000

Just this past weekend I planted mint in a bowl on my kitchen windowsill. Halleujah! I know something worth knowing

By: Julia

Julia — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 11:44:11 +0000

So many warnings make more sense.

I still can’t figure out the anemia one. I have had intermittent anemia, since the birth of my first child, and none of the specialists has ever suggested Olive Oil. I wonder how much I would need to rub on to stop eating liver and other high iron foods?

I can just picture, in my mind’s eye, slippery babies falling to the floor when grandma isn’t aware they are being “treated.” Keep that butter on hand! (I wonder how many weight watchers points all that butter and olive oil would count as?)

Does anyone have any idea WHY gasoline that is cold is so inferior?

By: soleil

soleil — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 22:28:17 +0000

Hmmm, the warning on my washing machine about flammable liquids actually makes sense now that I read these tips involving gasoline and turpentine to clean fabric.

By: kevinf

kevinf — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 21:37:08 +0000

If ever a post called for Youtube videos and internet memes that unfortunately were not available in 1911, this one positively screams for it. Flaming kitchens, buttered up babies, linseed oil soaked shoes (love to see that in the rain), plus a lolcats of an old, incontinent cat with the caption: “Deranged Kidneys: I no haz it, I IZ it!”

More, please!

By: Mark B.

Mark B. — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:43:42 +0000

So when the lid to the baking powder or spice jar comes off oh so easily as you roll the thing around underfoot, how on earth should you clean up the mess on the floor??

And, it’s clear that they don’t make clothes pins the way they used to.

By: HokieKate

HokieKate — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:00:44 +0000

LeftField beat me to the punch, and likely expressed the comment more wittily than I would have.

By: The Other Clark

The Other Clark — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 19:41:46 +0000

I guess turpentine, gasoline, vinegar and brandy will fix everything. The scientist in me wants to explore why these remedies might work. The fruit juice to vinegar is easy to figure out. Even the whitewash-the-cellar-for-your-health bit makes sense, since about 60% of the air in our homes enters through the basement. But a few are just random. FWIW, the homemade remedy/cleaning supply trend is still going strong.

By: Mina

Mina — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:12:04 +0000

A little grated cheese improves anything.

I wonder, though, if I could throw a bit of orris-root in the washing machine? I’d dearly love everything to smell faintly of violets…

By: Alison

Alison — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:51:14 +0000

These are weird and wonderful! I knew the one about putting salt in the pan when boiling eggs, though; I always do that. Must try the onion tip on the next family spat with an insect. And Ardis, perhaps brandy is more commonly kept in the homes of Saints than we previously suspected…

By: gretchen

gretchen — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:53:35 +0000

Goodness! Thanks for the great tidbits. Definitely, with the cost of gas, do not let it explode! Off to purchase brandy for my preserves…..