Remember those awful?

Question

home remedies?
The one my cousins(girls)and i disliked was 1/2 oz. wiskey in 2/3 cup of hot water for menstral cramps. We all hated (boys & girls) black strap molasses in the spring time for good health, guess it worked, boy all aunts and uncles, parents made into 80s & 90s, we are approching their record.

Answer 1

My parents never gave us whiskey or molasses. What they seemed to be fixated on was cod liver oil. At first it was a sort of malted oil mixture we had to take by the tablespoonful every day. The awfullest, most VILE concoction made by man. When we threatened to spew it out or throw it right back up again, my mother would hold our noses, making us swallow it thoroughly.

It got somewhat better when she started to buy cod liver oil gel capsules. They were HUGE but at least they didn't taste awful right away. (But you ended up with sour cod liver oil burps for the whole of the morning anyway.)

I caught whooping cough when I was nine years old. I was out of school for six weeks. The first two weeks were spent having multiple mustard plasters administered to my chest and back, in a vain attempt to control the cough. Until my mother in her tiredness put the plasters on too hot, and I ended up getting burnt. That was the very last time a mustard plaster was administered in our house.

Funny how every time I caught a cough for the 20 years after that, I would end up sounding like I had whooping cough again.

Answer 2

I still use a lot of the oldies. Vicks up the nose will open your sinus cavities faster and better than any expensive nasal spray. The only thing that works better is Skunk Oil if you can get it. Garlic is still a wonder food as is vinegar. I could write a book on this, but that isn't what you want. I'm currently in my 70s and like to hike, walk about 1 - 5 miles when it's not too hot and people say my mind is disgustingly healthy.

Answer 3

will add the herb " horehound root " to what has already been mentioned. Grandma cured my colds and flu with horehound root and remember this root did wonders. still swear by and at it to this day.

there was a lady on the bus who had a terrible cold and asked if anyone had a cure. told her to get some horehound root and make a tea or candy ( not the candy they sell for taste only ) but the pure stuff. the bus driver asked what I said as the lady said she was not that " type of woman " and I told him I suggested she purchase some " horehound root " as it was an herb.

almost got thrown off the bus because no one had ever heard of horehound root.

Answer 4

Although many of those old home remedies were disgusting,
some actually worked.

I hate when I had a cold and my Mother insisted on rubbing Vicks on my chest and putting a dab on each nostril before I went to bed.

Answer 5

I remember the dreaded Croup Kettle...glob of Vicks in a pot of water on a hot-plate, and my mom would make a sheet tent over me and the kettle and tell me to breathe--breathe--breathe in the steam. My grandma made flannel vests to wear over a thick slather of Vicks on my chest... and when I broke out in hives [strawberries] mom would make a paste of baking soda and water and daub it on each hive. Grandma made flaxseed tea for serious constipation problems...yuckiest looking stuff in the world, since it jellied up when it cooled down. She also made grapefruit tea [whole grapefruit, rind and all, chopped up and boiled] as a general system-cleanser...a kind of vitamin C depth-bomb.

Answer 6

I don't personally, but I can recall my Dad talking about Cod liver Oil, and Cod Liver Oil, I have had a hot tottie made of whiskey,lemon juice, dab of sugar, warmed for a sore throat.

Answer 7

My Mother thought that an enema, was a cure all for every thing. She would put Vick's on a hot towel and safety pin that around my neck. She would put table salt into a pan and heat it up then dump the hot salt into a washcloth tie that up and have me hold it to my ear. It worked.

Answer 8

Most of those remedies were preventative measures. I never complained of being sick for fear that they would be applied. I credit my good school attendance to the threat of Castor oil.

For colds it was a teaspoon of turpentine, a cup of onion tea and a Vick Salve plaster.
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Answer 9

Umm. A little before my time. I do remember having to take cod liver oil. When we had a cold my mom would rub our chest with Vicks vaporub. Pew!

Answer 10

Hot bread poultice!

Syrop of Figs for constipation!

Drinking out of the outside of a glass of salt water for hiccoughs!

And once - when I had a terrible sore throat - my Mother (God bless her) rolled a ball of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) in her palm and then rolled it in sugar so that I would swallow it!!!
I tried and then promptly threw up all over the sitting room carpet!

HOW ON EARTH DID WE SURVIVE?!