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American Southern
Magnetic Oil
Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 39. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
15 minPrep Time
30 minCook Time
8Servings
hardDifficulty
Why This Recipe Works
This is a historical medicinal liniment, not a culinary recipe. It should NOT be prepared or consumed. The ingredients listed—chloroform (anesthetic), laudanum (opium tincture), colchicum (toxic plant extract), and capsicum—were common in 19th-century folk medicine but are now known to be dangerous, highly regulated, or illegal. This recipe represents important culinary history but is included for historical documentation only.
Before You Begin
- •DO NOT PREPARE THIS RECIPE - it contains dangerous and controlled substances
- •This is a historical medicinal preparation from 1866, not food
- •Chloroform is a toxic solvent; laudanum contains opium and is a controlled substance
- •Colchicum (autumn crocus) is highly poisonous and can be fatal
- •This recipe is preserved for historical scholarship only
- •Malinda Russell's cookbook is significant as one of the earliest by an African American author, but not all recipes are safe by modern standards
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