What home or OTC remedies did you grow up with?

[Dan Murphy]

Merthiolate and iodine.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Lol this thread got away from me, I'd planned to respond to everything. There are some interesting ones!

My mother's mother used to give her seven kids black strap molasses and cod liver oil when they were little. She was essentially a single mom, as her husband died in his thirties, and they didn't have much (during the Depression) and may have been otherwise prone to malnutrition. (She had also attended nursing school.)

All of her children lived to a ripe old age except one who was killed in childhood.

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-blackstrap-molasses#1

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-of-cod-liver-oil#section1

 

[kimblebee]

My mom was a big fan of mustard plasters for chest colds. She cooked a thick mustard paste, spread it on a piece of flannel, warmed it up in the oven, and then wrapped it around my chest.

I also remember Jack and Jill cough syrup. I wouldn't call it a home remedy, but it was always something my mom had on hand.

Being from Canada (not sure if it is in the U.S.), Buckley's cough syrup is still the one that I think of when you are looking for something quell a cough (or take the paint off of your Buick). That stuff tasted like you were drinking Pine-Sol, but it sure worked!

Does anybody know what the idea of a mustard plaster was? I can’t off the top of my head think of how that was supposed to help chest congestion.

I do vividly remember that unfortunate stage where one “aged out” of Jack and Jill and had to start taking Buckley’s. No denying how well it worked though. I still use it although now it blessedly comes in capsules.

I’ve only had Buckley’s twice and it made me dry heave both times lol

We always had flat ginger ale for a sore stomach.

For a sore throat, we would get a facecloth which had been soaked with cold water (and wrung out) wrapped around our throat and secured with a huge safety pin. This was for night time only. I don’t know the history behind it but my mom did it and I know my grandma did too.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

For a sore throat, we would get a facecloth which had been soaked with cold water (and wrung out) wrapped around our throat and secured with a huge safety pin. This was for night time only. I don’t know the history behind it but my mom did it and I know my grandma did too.

It must've been soothing to the throat. I've never heard of it, but it's a good one!

Today we have all kinds of products available, but you never know if you're away, or it's the middle of the night or something, some of these might come in handy!

 

[kimblebee]

It must've been soothing to the throat. I've never heard of it, but it's a good one!

Today we have all kinds of products available, but you never know if you're away, or it's the middle of the night or something, some of these might come in handy!

It didn’t really do much. I think it was more a placebo effect or something lol

 

[SirDuff]

For a sore throat, we would get a facecloth which had been soaked with cold water (and wrung out) wrapped around our throat and secured with a huge safety pin. This was for night time only. I don’t know the history behind it but my mom did it and I know my grandma did too.

Same, but it was always a sock (no idea why) and then wrapped in a tea-towel.

I still do this sometimes.

Also, bananas cured all ills.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It didn’t really do much. I think it was more a placebo effect or something lol

That's something! Just feeling cared about can help!

Yeah, I was thinking the coolness probably goes away within a minute or so once it touches the skin, but you could put an ice cube in there that would last a while. If the facecloth is relatively dry, it would absorb the liquid as it melts.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I forgot this one: A salt sock for toothaches. My Mom would heat some salt in a pot on the stove and then pour it into a sock and knot the end. Then we held it on our cheek over wherever the pain was.

And fennel seed tea for babies with stomach troubles. Steep the fennel seeds in hot water and then let it cool before straining the seeds and putting the resulting liquid into a bottle for the baby. This actually worked for some reason.

 

[georgina]

That's a good one. Smart Mom. Also used for ages.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/boric-acid-eye-wash-uses-procedure-and-side-effects-4178288

Yeah, she was an immigrant. Also a big proponent of breast feeding in the late 40's/early 50's when doctors were pushing formula. She was into nutrition in a big way - no soda for us! Although I think she did give my sister whiskey and honey in tea for cramps.

 

[jaiminee krikit]

A spoonful of honey to get rid of hiccups. When DD was a baby, my mom watched her while I worked and mentioned giving her honey one day because she got the hiccups (she got them at least once a day every day). DD's pediatrician told us many times not to give her honey until she was 2 (same with peanut butter, which my mom also fed her) and I freaked out. My mom gave me the old "it didn't kill you guys". And she really wonders why my sister doesn't let her babysit.

I still love Vicks Vaporub when I'm sick. Several years ago, they came out with Vicks tissues. I happened to see them in a store when I was suffering from a terrible cold so I bought some. Oh they were amazing, they cleared me right up. But the next day I woke up with a huge cold sore in my nose! Ugh. I still get one about once a year, and haven't touched those tissues since. I've tried the Vicks on my feet at night and it did nothing. I miss the Vaporizers, too. Maybe that's why I love essential oil diffusers so much now.

 

[barkley]

I still love Vicks Vaporub when I'm sick. Several years ago, they came out with Vicks tissues. I happened to see them in a store when I was suffering from a terrible cold so I bought some. Oh they were amazing, they cleared me right up. But the next day I woke up with a huge cold sore in my nose! Ugh. I still get one about once a year, and haven't touched those tissues since. I've tried the Vicks on my feet at night and it did nothing. I miss the Vaporizers, too. Maybe that's why I love essential oil diffusers so much now.

vicks makes a humidifier that has slots to insert their 'vapo pads' into. they work really well.

 

[snappy]

My grandma used to put this on us anytime we had a scrape. View attachment 385482

Funny, my dad swore by Isodine. Cure all for lots of stuff, including cuts, bruises, in grown toenails, even acne. Little bitty glass bottle with a long ish applicator inside. Took me a while to remember the name of the magic potion.

I don’t remember it stinging but omg it sure did stain.

 

[snappy]

My mom insisted we gargle with hot water with a few dashes of Tobasco. Must be a Cajun thing?

 

[ronandannette]

I forgot this one: A salt sock for toothaches. My Mom would heat some salt in a pot on the stove and then pour it into a sock and knot the end. Then we held it on our cheek over wherever the pain was.

And fennel seed tea for babies with stomach troubles. Steep the fennel seeds in hot water and then let it cool before straining the seeds and putting the resulting liquid into a bottle for the baby. This actually worked for some reason.

Pretty sure this is basically what Gripe Water is. I haven't seen a bottle for years but I remember the distinctive fennel/licorice smell.

 

[J'aime Paris]

Pretty sure this is basically what Gripe Water is. I haven't seen a bottle for years but I remember the distinctive fennel/licorice smell.

I would have thrown up if given that.
Even seeing a jar fennel seed makes my skin crawl!
The smell of fennel/licorice makes me gag

 

[ronandannette]

I would have thrown up if given that.
Even seeing a jar fennel seed makes my skin crawl!
The smell of fennel/licorice makes me gag

Gripe Water is for colicky babies; it's possible you were given it when you were way to young to object. It's been a staple in infant care for over a century. I just googled it though and found out the base of it is not fennel, it's dill, and in the olden days, a hefty shot of alcohol to help Junior rest. Apparently the alcohol has long since been removed from the formula.

 

[DLgal]

For me, Tincture of Merthiolate. We called it "the red medicine."

I have not used it, ever, since leaving home. My parents still use it.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Gripe Water is for colicky babies; it's possible you were given it when you were way to young to object. It's been a staple in infant care for over a century. I just googled it though and found out the base of it is not fennel, it's dill, and in the olden days, a hefty shot of alcohol to help Junior rest. Apparently the alcohol has long since been removed from the formula.

Share link?

 

[lovesmurfs]

My grandma used to put this on us anytime we had a scrape. View attachment 385482

Yep. And because it burned, my mom would blow on my scrape after she applied it. Totally adding germs.

For me, Tincture of Merthiolate. We called it "the red medicine."

I have not used it, ever, since leaving home. My parents still use it.

I think the applicator hurt worse than the medicine on a sore! I used to start crying harder when my mom declared she needed to use it on me.

I used to wet a black tea bag when the kids got a mouth injury -- I'd heard that the tannins would help heal/seal the wound in the mouth.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

DH's mother was a strong believer in Witch Hazel. She always kept a bottle of it in their refrigerator.

There are a lot of uses for it.

https://www.encyclopedia.com/plants-and-animals/plants/plants/witch-hazel

I picked up a bottle of this when I saw it in the store the other day seeing it has so many uses.