As a condiment, vinegar is an ingredient of a large number of sauces, and of all ketchups and pickles; and although it cannot be regarded as an essential article of food, its applications in cookery are numberless. Young ladies, with an undue tendency to corpulency. sometimes drink vinegar freely with the view of improving the figure ; but as vinegar only causes thinness by injuring the digestion, it is obviously not worth while that they should rim the risk of exchanging slight fullness of habit for chronic dyspepsia.
Vinegar is used in medicine as a cooling astringent, and may be employed with much benefit if taken freely, when largely diluted with water. in hemoptysis, in hematemesis, and in the colliquative sweating of hectic fever. Dr. Neligan states that in severe hic cough, lie has often seen benefit derived from a dose of a wine-glassful of vinegar. In cases of poisoning with the alkalies or their carbonates, it is one of the best It may also be employed locally in various ways—as, for example, to check hemorrhage from the nose, womb, etc. In intestinal hermorrhage, an enema containing vinegar and cold water may be used with success, especially if the lower part of the intestine be the seat of the bleeding. Sponged in a diluted state (one part to three of cold or tepid water) over the neck, chest, etc., it affords great comfort and considerable relief in cases of colliquative sweating. In its character of a refrigerant rather than as an astringent, its local action on the skin is attended with much benefit in the treatment of most febrile and inflammatory diseases; it should be freely applied, as in colliquative sweats, to the surface of the body, face, and extremities; and thus employed, has a very tranquillizing effect, and often induces sleep. The heat and pain commonly experienced in sprains
are often relieved by the local application of brown paper soaked in diluted vinegar,and i changed when the feeling of heat returns. It is an important addition to ent gar gles in cases of relaxed uvula and tonsils; and is the best application to the eyes in cases in which lime has got within the eyelids. The ordinary dcse is from 2 to 4 drams; and when taken as a drink, 3 ounces may be mixed with a pint and a half of water, and taken in the course of the day.
The term Chili vinegar is applied to a preparation obtained by infusing half an ounce of cayenne pepper in a quart of French vinegar for ten days, and straining. It is com monly added to gargles in the proportion of 1 ounce to 8 or 9 ounces of infusion of roses, in cases of' relaxed sore throat.
Aromatic Vinegar, known also as Vinegar of the Four Thieves, .Varseille Vinegar, and Camphorated Vinegar, and Camphorated Acetic Acid, consists of strong acetic acid, hold ing in solution camphor and the oils of cloves, lavender, .rosemary, and lemons. It is very fragrant and volatile, and must be kept in well-stoppered bottles. It was formerly regarded as a valuable prophylactic of all infectious diseases, but is now only used as an external stimulant, the vapor being applied by a smelling-bottle to the nostrils in cases of fainting.