My father’s side of the family was very homeopathic about
medicine.
Well, maybe not homeopathic as much as home remedy-pathic.
They were great believers in ‘do it yourself’ medicine.
Almost everything could be cured with an enema.
Have a fever? Flush it out!
Upset tummy? Flush it out!
Picked up a ‘bug’? Well, you get the idea.
I was NOT a fan
of my Grandmother’s remedies.
The one that I hated most (almost as much as the dreaded
enema) was the lard and turpentine cure.
This was her (cheap) version of Vick’s VapoRub.
Whenever you came down with a cold, or in my case my
semi-annual bout of bronchitis, out came the special pot.
She would heat up some lard and send my Grandfather down to
the basement for the turpentine. She mixed them together and when the
concoction cooled down she would rub it all over my chest.
As if that wasn’t bad enough she would then pin a piece of
flannel to the inside of my pajamas (to protect them) and smooth it out so it would stick to
my skin.
UGH!
It was AWFUL!
It felt terrible, it stank to high heaven and I HATED it!
To this day I can’t stand the feel of anything wet or sticky
against my skin!
You know, looking back I’m beginning to understand why my
father had some of the issues he did……….
oh I don't know - give anything a go. Once!
ReplyDeleteSounds like the bronchitis was a breeze compared to the 'remedy'!
ReplyDeleteI'm screaming! My ma must have gone to the same medical school as your grandma. Enemas! Ma didn't make her own Vaporub, but if she knew your grandma could make it, she would have asked for the recipe. I hate Vaporub, too.Hate the slimy feel and the smell (I don't allow it in my house!) I remember one time after the flush out, and the Vaporub smear, my had ironed a piece of flannel to sear the heat into my chest. After that, I never admitted I was sick again.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear. I'm sure it was done out of love. Well, I hope. LOL!
ReplyDeleteThere was a time when I first started practicing home remedies and Bear was crazy sick. I'd read that garlic tea was a good cure for flu…so I mixed a couple tablespoons of GARLIC POWDER into some hot water and made him drink the whole cup full. Looking back, I can see how brave he was. But... I swear…his 106 fever was down in less than 2 hours and by that night he was fine. After that experience, all I had to do to make him feel better was to tell him I was going to make some garlic tea. He made himself heal immediately. See what a terrible mother I was. We laugh about it still. Well, at least, I do.
I am glad you spared us the details of the enema if the vapour rub is anything to go by.
ReplyDeleteBlech!!!
ReplyDeletewow! seems like turpentine would have killed anything but I cannot imagine It on my skin. Yuck!!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I love your stories - but it brings one to mind that my poor child will tell her children about that I did.... a story for another day perhaps!
ReplyDelete