PREFACE

       In these days of steam and electricity, when every man is jostling and crowding his neighbor in the race for wealth and independence, every hour, every minute has its money value. To economize time by its admirably arranged contents; to save money by its multitudinous hints and aids; to relieve perplexities that are ever occurring in our daily plans of life by its numberless suggestions; to promptly offer remedies when sudden death is threatened, as in accidental poisoning, will be found to be embodied in the following pages, and so be an aid to the progressive hurrying spirit of the age. In its editing and compiling, the principal aim has been to render it as extensively useful as possible, and no exertion has been spared to make the work a correct, comprehensive and conveniently arranged manual of reference to the Housekeeper, Manufacturer, Tradesman and Agriculturist. It will be found to contain directions for the preparation of several thousand articles of interest and utility, many of which have never appeared in print before. Care has been taken to avoid all difficult, technical and scientific term, and to make it so simple in language and arrangement, as to insure its value as a useful and reliable work for every-day reference.

A. E. Y.

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Chapter One

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ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES

       ACCIDENTS, To Avoid and Prevent--In walking the streets keep out of the line of cellars, and never look one way and walk another. 2. Never ride with your arm or elbow outside any vehicle. 3. Never alight from a steam-car while in motion. 4. In stepping from any wheeled vehicle while in motion, let it be from the rear, and not in front of the wheels; for then, if you fall, the wheels cannot run over you. 5. Never attempt to cross a road or street in a hurry, in front of a passing vehicle; for if you stumble or slip you will be run over. Make up the half minute lost in waiting until the vehicle has passed by increased diligence in some other direction. 6. In a run-away, it is saved, as a rule, to keep your place and hold fast than to jump out. Getting out of a carriage over the back, provided you can hold on a little while, is safer than springing from the side. 7. Be particularly cautious when upon or in the vicinity of water. 8. During a time of lightning avoid the neighborhood of trees, or any leaden spout, iron gate, or other conductor of electricity. 9. Lay loaded guns in safe places, and never imitate firing a gun in jest. 10. Never sleep near lighted charcoal; if drowsy at any work where charcoal fires are used, take the fresh air. 11. Never blow out the gaslight, but turn it off, and before retiring see that none of it escapes. 12. When benumbed with cold beware of sleeping out of doors; exercise yourself vigorously; rub yourself, if able with snow, and do not hastily approach the fire. 13. If caught in a drenching rain, or if you fall in the water, keep in motion sufficiently vigorous to prevent the slightest chilly sensation until you reach the house; then change your clothing with great rapidity before a blazing fire, and drink instantly a pint of some hot liquid, not spirituous. 14. Before entering vaults or dry wells see if a lighted candle will burn at the bottom; for if not animal life cannot exist, and foul air in it should be replaced by pure air before entering therein. 15. Never leave saddle or draught horses, while in use, by themselves; nor go immediately behind a led horse, as he is apt to kick. 16. Ride not on footways, and walk not on carriage roads or railroad tracks. 17. Be wary of children, whether they are up or in bed, and particularly when they are near the fire, an element with which they are very apt to amuse themselves. 18. Leave nothing poisonous open or accessible, and never omit to write the work "POISON' in large letters upon it, wherever it may be placed. 19. Never throw pieces of orange peel on the sidewalk, or throw broken glass bottles into the streets. 20. Never meddle with gunpowder by candlelight. 21. Never trim or fill a kerosene lamp while lighted, and never light a fire with kerosene or coal oil. 22. Keep lucifer matches in their cases, and never let them be strewed about. 23. During frosty weather take extra care in walking. 24. Have your horses'shoes roughed directly there are indications of frost. 25. Before retiring for the night, carefully look through the house to see that everything is as it should be. __

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