Old Timey Home Remedies

      In times past there wasn't always a doctor close or readily available when there was sickness or injury.  So, folks used home remedies that had been passed down through the generations.  There was never any guarantee that any of these would work. 

     Some might make some change for the better, some might do nothing at all and some might prove to be fatal.  Fatal because they were concocted of dangerous ingredients or fatal because the person in question could only be helped by the doctor and what he had available to him.

     Remember, this article is intended for reading and intertainment only.  

Misc. Home Remedies:

     1.  Mix together sulfur and molasses and eat.  Makes a wonderful all over tonic.

     2.  Eat Rhubarb once a week for general good health.

     3.  Place a Bible under your pillow to prevent nightmares.  ( I'm sure that this particular  bit of advice is perfectly safe)

     4.  You can take the sting out of a burn by blowing on it if the burned person has never seen their father.

     5.  You can stop bleeding by placing a spider web on the wound.

     6.  Taking tea made from sassafras root is an excellent blood purifier.

     7.  You can get rid of freckles by mixing buttermilk and lemon juice together and rubbing on the freckles.  Leave there until it dries.

     8.  Another freckle remover:  Place grapevine sap on them.

     9.  Or mix eggs, cream and epsom salts together in equal amounts and rub on freckles.  Remove when dried.

    10.  If you tie a flour sack around your head it will get rid of a headache.

    11.  Or, you can smear you brown with crushed onions for a headache.

    12.  You can also rub your forehead with camphor and whiskey to rid yourself of headache pain.

    13.  Try this for chest congestion:  Make a rub of kerosene, turpentine and lard.  The lard has no curative qualities but is there to prevent skin blistering.  Soak a flannel cloth in the mixture.  Place cheesecloth on afflicted person's chest and cover cheesecloth with soaked flannel.  Leave on until dry.

    14.  For a very good cough syrup, mix together four sticks of rock candy with 4 cups of whiskey.  Take by spoonful as needed.

    15.  To settle your stomach use a mixture of honey and vinegar for a gargle.

    16.  You can also settle your stomach by drinking blackberry juice.

    17.  For influenza, drink a large glass of kraut brine strained from the crock.  This will make you very thirsty and you will drink plenty of water while you are sick.