Targets Guy
US Veteran
Thanks for the memory. I still remember the smell.
Mecurochrome
- Thread starter Puller
- Start date
Now this is a REAL old time remedy. Up in fishing camp in northern Quebec I cut my little finger rather seriously. I remembered reading about how Indians in South America would use cayenne pepper as an astringent to close cuts. Luckily I had a bottle of it for making chili. Aftrr my uncle poured medical turpentine (another old time remedy) on the cut to disinfect it, I poured the cayenne pepper on the cut. The cut got crusted over and the bleeding stopped. I didn't have to seek medical attention, which was good because the nearest town that might have had medical facilities was 45 minutes away.
I liked my doctor's comment about this. He said, "You guys did pretty good with your backwoods medicine."
I liked my doctor's comment about this. He said, "You guys did pretty good with your backwoods medicine."
In elementary school I had a classmate whose last name was Mercurio. Of course you can guess what everyone called him.
Chubbo
Member
Mercurochrome
The use of this antiseptic brings back memories of a Boy Scout, summer camp outing, era 1940s. Some older Boy Scouts, were employed for the summer, by Camp Lazarus near Delaware, Ohio. Their favored prank, was; painting the new arrivals' ears with Mercurochrome, explaining that it prevented fleabitis. As we sat waiting in our bus to unload, we saw that prank being played on newcomers. We bid-ed our time, and when we were unloaded, we over overpowered the camp's scouts and swabbed their entire heads with Mercurochrome. At the flag raising ceremony the next morning, those unfortunate boys were the laughingstock of the camp.
Chubbo
The use of this antiseptic brings back memories of a Boy Scout, summer camp outing, era 1940s. Some older Boy Scouts, were employed for the summer, by Camp Lazarus near Delaware, Ohio. Their favored prank, was; painting the new arrivals' ears with Mercurochrome, explaining that it prevented fleabitis. As we sat waiting in our bus to unload, we saw that prank being played on newcomers. We bid-ed our time, and when we were unloaded, we over overpowered the camp's scouts and swabbed their entire heads with Mercurochrome. At the flag raising ceremony the next morning, those unfortunate boys were the laughingstock of the camp.
Chubbo
DWalt
Member
I had an experience about 12 years ago, where one of my field employees got a severe case of chigger bites all over (he didn't use the spray DEET bug repellant which was provided). I took him to the ER at the nearest hospital, and all the doctor there did was douse him with rubbing alcohol.
Targets Guy
US Veteran
It works great on toe fungus.
My great grandmother believed Campho Phenique would cure whatever ailed you. Chigger bites, cuts, scrapes, bruises, rashess, etc. all got slathered with the aromatic elixir of life.
My podiatrist would have to wear a gas mask.
AKA.......Monkey Blood
2ffat
Member
I would put that on my mosquito and spider bites. The sting would kill the itch.
We lived next door to an old Irish woman when I was growing up in Brooklyn. If a baby was teething, she would tell the young mothers to rub whiskey on the baby's gums. She used to send me to the corner store to buy her a quart of Rheingold beer and a pack of Camels. I was in elementary school at the time.
jcs266
Member
Is it? Wow I always wondered what that stuff was - and where it now is cuz I've not seen it in many years. I remember my Mom putting it on us as kids for cuts n scrapes.
Mom kept both mercurochrome and tincture of iodine on hand. Iodine stung like the devil, mercurochrome did not. Which one she used depended on her evaluation of how you got injured. She firmly believed stupid should hurt and would apply iodine with a concurrent scolding lecture. Fifties Moms were more sanguine, I think. It was before the pill and kids were easily replaced.
Last edited:
Chubbo
Member
I remember poppers/smelling salts.
When I was a teenager, our next-door neighbor used them to retaliate against Halloween pranksters that paraffined, his house windows. That paraffin, was extremely difficult to remove, and those pranksters were fully aware of it.
Our neighbor worked for Maw Bell as an installer, and his first aid kit contained those breakable capsules, then called smelling salts. When he caught a prankster smearing his windows with paraffin, he'd collar them, break an ammonia capsule, and hold it under the pranksters nose.
That provided a valuable, harmless lesson, never to be forgotten.
Today, he'd probably be chastised with a prison sentence, for administering that lesson.
Today's pampered youngsters, are deprived of most of those useful lessons.
Chubbo
When I was a teenager, our next-door neighbor used them to retaliate against Halloween pranksters that paraffined, his house windows. That paraffin, was extremely difficult to remove, and those pranksters were fully aware of it.
Our neighbor worked for Maw Bell as an installer, and his first aid kit contained those breakable capsules, then called smelling salts. When he caught a prankster smearing his windows with paraffin, he'd collar them, break an ammonia capsule, and hold it under the pranksters nose.
That provided a valuable, harmless lesson, never to be forgotten.
Today, he'd probably be chastised with a prison sentence, for administering that lesson.
Today's pampered youngsters, are deprived of most of those useful lessons.
Chubbo
Last edited:
Snapping Twig
Member
Never liked Mercurochrome. Didn't work for me and stained.
Now iodine - that's a whole 'nuther matter. It WORKED.
Dangerous as it was, I found that a dilute solution of iodine in water to be a slam dunk killer of sore throats.
When I found clear iodine, I switched over. Still have some, but these days it's triple antibiotic cream.
Now iodine - that's a whole 'nuther matter. It WORKED.
Dangerous as it was, I found that a dilute solution of iodine in water to be a slam dunk killer of sore throats.
When I found clear iodine, I switched over. Still have some, but these days it's triple antibiotic cream.
Chubbo
Member
Home remedies
Several home remedies have been mentioned on this thread. Some I've heard, and some I haven't. Some work and some don't. Some were disgusting and some were comical. One of the most disgusting, was the cure for bringing out measles; the remedy was sheep sh** tea. I swear I'm not making this one up.
Mom's cough medicine, was simple and really cured a cough; the ingredients were Honey, fresh lemon juice, and medical grade glycerin, that was once available in all drug stores. I don't think that medical grade glycerin, is now available to the public. We'll have to guard our meager supply, as it's the best cough remedy I've ever tried.
Chubbo
Several home remedies have been mentioned on this thread. Some I've heard, and some I haven't. Some work and some don't. Some were disgusting and some were comical. One of the most disgusting, was the cure for bringing out measles; the remedy was sheep sh** tea. I swear I'm not making this one up.
Mom's cough medicine, was simple and really cured a cough; the ingredients were Honey, fresh lemon juice, and medical grade glycerin, that was once available in all drug stores. I don't think that medical grade glycerin, is now available to the public. We'll have to guard our meager supply, as it's the best cough remedy I've ever tried.
Chubbo
Replace the glycerin with bourbon, that's what we had. Never had to ask twice to take my medicine.
