General Chat

My OH and I were trying to think of the old medicines etc that our mothers made us take.
This all came about when I suggested to OH that he use my facial sauna to help him clear his blocked nose.He is on oxygen 24 hours and it dries up his nose and he can't have anything oil based due to the oxygen.
He said that he had some purple crystals dissolved in water and held his head over with a towel.The only thing I thought of was Friars Balsam.
The only purple crystals I remember was Permanganate of Potash,but thought this was mainly a disinfectant.I also remember a purplish liquid...glycerine of Thymol,but think this was for sore throats to gargle with.
He said...ask your GR friends..so... put your thinking caps on!

Brenda x

Menthol crystals... they look a little bit lilac sometimes... very potent, so use very sparingly.... and you get them from the chemist. They last for years... but they can make you catch your breath.

Actually, just the steaming with the sauna will help to moisturise.... also... cotton wool pads, soaked in warm water, and stuck up your nostrils a couple of times a day will help, too... I have a problem with mine since the chemo.... and that is what the ENT guy at Cardiff told me to do, it works wonders.

Love

Daff xxx

I have used Potassium permanganate or Condy's crystals, a great antiseptic. I am fairly sure this is what he is talking about. Oh uses it in his foot spa, as his feet get very wet in gum boots, it helps with tinea ect. Use very sparingly.

Has lots of uses as well as just googled.
Gail

Thank you Daff and Gran of Oz.I will see if he will use the cotton wool pads soaked in warm water as well...good idea!

I think Permanganate of potash is the same as potassium permanganate.It's just the old name.I know we always had it in the house.

While we're on old remedies...would be interesting to see what others can remember we used in the past..before all the pills we pop these days.I can recall Fennings powders and Fennings fever cure(that was horrible).

My mother,who really wasn't quite the ticket,always had a bottle of hydrogen peroxide,possibly so she could make any little injury I had sting.

I can remember her putting this peroxide on my toes once.Now,I have no idea why she should have done this as I didn't have athletes foot or anything like that.

It must have seemed like a good idea at the time I suppose!

I was going to suggest Menthol Crystals but was beaten to it!!

however,

any suggestions for treating toe chilblains?

there is a favourite one in the family but I wont divulge it yet!!
but am interested in new ideas....

Thanks
Bob

Can't get the old po to go under the bed to do your chilblains in anymore can you?

MGH!!

what a selection!! thanks
much "Food" for thought there!

I might add that its not for me. but a family friend, and I DO recall having chilblains when I was young, 1948 ish sort of time.....
Melrose was the cure?/treatment at that time.


Sharron, thats the one!! LOL

Bob

Island just do not ingest it, it is very poisonousness.

Gail

It's strange that today I have just received this e-mail of old remedies...pity I can't show you the pictures of the bottles,but you will get the gist!!




A bottle of Bayer's heroin. Between 1890 and 1910 heroin was sold as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. It was also used to treat children with strong cough.


Coca Wine, anyone?


Metcalf Coca Wine was one of a huge variety of wines with cocaine on the market. Everybody used to say that it would make you happy and it would also work as a medicinal treatment.



Mariani wine



Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca wine of it's time. Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time. He awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vatican gold medal.



Maltine...with Coca wine



Produced by Maltine Manufacturing Company of New York. It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal... Children should take half a glass.



A paper weight:



A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne ( Mannheim , Germany ). They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.


Vapor-ol treatment no.6.
Opium for Asthma:

No comments.



Cocaine tablets (1900)


All stage actors, singers teachers and preachers had to have them for a maximum performance. Great to "smooth" the voice.


Cocaine drops for toothache



Very popular for children in 1885. Not only did they relieve the pain, they made the children happy!


Stickney and Poors
Opium for new-borns



I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but 46% alcohol!)


No wonder they were called The Good Old Days!

Having your chest rubbed by Mum, with eucalyptus oil, stunk the place out but helped a cough and cold! Mum had sandpaper hands too!

Vick disso;ved in hot water for an inhalant, in a bowl, towel over your head and breathe in!

I remember having a little bag round my neck with a solid cube of camphor in the winter underneath my school blouse to ward off colds.

Does anyone remember Bile Beans?

There were some of these in Mum's cabinet for years but I don't remember anyone taking them.

Liver salts for indigestion.

Butter and sugar for a cough (lovely)!

Syrup of figs to keep you 'regular'

My Nan used to give me Phennings (Fennings) Fever Cure in a little glass it tasted absolutely dreadful-what the hell was it?!!!

oldbean

I just googled Fennings fever cure and found this, there is even a picture of the bottle.

Bottle of Fennings' Fever Mixture, England, 1950-1960
Credits: Science Museum, London

One wineglassful of the clear ‘Fennings' Fever Mixture’ was recommended to be drunk by adults to help ease fevers; young children drank a quarter of a glassful. The bottle cost 1shilling and sixpence. Alfred Fennings (d. 1900) opened his first shop in 1840 in London and produced a large and popular range of ‘over the counter’ treatments. On his death, trustees took over running the business and the profits went to a children’s charity. Among some of Fennings earlier products were ‘cures’ for diseases such as cholera. As with all such products, some treatments were more effective than others.


I remember warmed olive oil in my ear to ease earache.
Hot milk with butter for a cold - hated it and the smell haunts me lol
My Dad was a medic in the army at one stage of his service life, and swore by iodine, blowing on it as he administered it to a cut ! Ow, it stung. Then Mum got all modern and bought Germolene, can still remember that smell.

Lizx

Thanks Liz-I hadn't thought of googling Fennings fever cure so thank-you.

My husband remembers iodine and the gritting of teeth when used!! I never had the pleasure but I do remember that pink Germoline and the smell of that too!

I remember being plastered with vinegar when I fell in a bed of stinging nettles-when it gets in my nostrills now it takes me right back!!

I love the opportunity to reminice my youth.
Thanks
oldbean

Thanks Liz,didn't think of googling fennings fever cure...but what surprised me was that apparently you can still get Fennings powders for children.
Must admit,these were not as bad to take as the fever cure!

I suffered chilblains as a child , sometimes
used to be in agony with them but mum used
to cut an onion in half put some salt on and rub it into my toes .
Hazelx

ipecac, squills and toulus for chesty coughs !

Margaret, I can remember applying that to a patients chest, as prescribed by a GP.