Home remedies, amusing or serious ones.

[Chris Allman]

When I had a cold, my mother made me sniff warn salt water up my nose. Cleared the nose and made you sick too, bloody awful, she used to have to drag me screaming to the toilet to do it. Also some terrible red stuff called Parish's Food, teaspoon in a small glass of water every morning in winter.

Chris

[Captain Kong]

No wonder you ran away to sea, Chris.

[John Pruden]

i would have joined the foreign legion your mam would have been doing jail nowadays Chrisjp

[Capt Bill Davies]

Not exactly a home remedy but my father used to bring all sorts of remedies back from the Far East. I remember two in particular, Minjap Karaputi Oil and Tiger Balm which although still available are not of the same strength as they were post war when the had an inordinate amount of Opium in them

Bill

[Chris Allman]

I suppose she meant well but it was bloody awful the salt water sniffing. It did work but nearly drowned you in the process. Dont know what was better a clear nose and nearly drowning or a blocked nose

Chris.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Bill,
I bought some Tiger Balm from the Tiger Balm Gardens of the HAW PAW BROTHERS EMPORIUM in the 1950s
It was the real stuff, full of Opium, It was said it could cure a broken Leg.
When I got home my Mother was dying of the Asian Flu, there were many deaths in the epidemic at that time, the Doctor had told Dad there was nothing more he could do, just a question of time then she would be gone.
I gave Dad the Tiger Balm and said rub it all over her chest, it didnt matter anymore, so he did. and also the following days.
A couple of days later she was sitting up and then got up out of bed. and eventually made a full recovery.
A few days after he saw my Mother the Doctor himself had the Asian Flu and died.
I still have some jars of Tiger Balm, but they are no way as good as the original.
The Opium was taken out due to Singapore`s very strict drug laws after Independence..
Cheers
Brian

[Capt Bill Davies]

Hi Brian,

You're right about legislation forcing Tiger Balm to remove the main ingredient. Never missed a school day at Mary Mount Convent or St.Anselms. If only the Nuns and Christian Brothers knew why!!!!
The stuff you buy now is a shadow of its former although I still use it. Why?...nostalgia.

Brgds

Bill

[Richard Quartermaine]

My old Granny's remedy for sore thoats was to have you gargle with hot water and vinegar, (50/50). It tasted vile but your throat was cured in the morning, honestly. A stye, or eyelid infection was treated by applying a mixture of wet tea leaves and soft bread, as a poultice. The tannic acid drew out the infected core overnight.

My Yorkshire Mum always applied hot bread poultices to boils and other infections. Can't recall the tea leaves but some would have sugar.
They always did the trick.
As for colds, they take two weeks to get over. With treatment it only takes a fortnight. Although I have to admit I have a spray bottle of salt water that I always use to spray up my nostrils and in my mouth and throat when I get a cold or have been in very crowded closed areas.

Richard Q

[John Pruden]

soap and sugar in a paste to draw out boils my nan did put the hot bottle on one and they worked no drugs in your system its to easy now to throw a pill down your neck.jp

[alf corbyn]

a tablespoonful of cod liver oil and malt every morning. can't remember having a cold very often and if you did it was a boiling hot baisin of water with a towel over your head and breathe in the fumes. i think it was euclyptus oil/ it certainly got rid of the sniffles. i also remember going to school licking a lump of salt. don't know what for.