Re: Grandma's Remedies

They are fascinating. All of these are too.

Mags, did your mum simply wrap a piece of bread around your finger ?

The other day I read about bananas and verucas . I'm not sure if it's a more modern remedy though .
Sounds more like witchcraft !

Put banana skins (inside facing verruca) and it's supposed to get rid of them. Don't know how long it would take but walking about with banana skins flapping around seems quite a challenge !

Re: Grandma's Remedies

The bread was mixed to a thick paste with hot milk and spread over the offending area and covered ... after a few days, the infection or whatever would come to a head and be drawn out.

I’ve never heard of the banana remedy for verrucas, I’d imagine you’d have a job staying on your feet

Re: Grandma's Remedies

Hm ! I think it might be something new (the banana thing) It was on 'mumsnet ' ( where young mums talk about their probs with children)

Bread and hot milk ? I wonder why these things work, not even the same ingredients. Now we are told to get the air to everything.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

Dad would put his head over a bowl of steaming water and cover his head with a towel. This was for a cold I think but don't know what was in the water. It had a smell to it.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

My dad did the same!
Bet it was Friars Balsam (contains benzoin)
Good stuff.
I use couple of drops Tea Tree and couple of drops Eucalyptus essential oils...you don't need a towel just inhale the steam from the cup.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

I was forever landing on my knees (off my bike, or a horse) and several times ended up with skin infections. My mum used to put hot kaolin poultices on them, I dreaded the hot paste (wrapped in a rag) being put on, but it did cure the infection.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

I believe they used Friars Balsam to inhale in the steam.
I had a nasty accident doing that one day.

I was a few days off my 13th birthday, and Mum had made this bowl of steaming stuff for my cold and bunged up nose.
I had the towel over my head, and when I had finished, I pulled the towel back not knowing it was under the edge of the bowl - until it was too late.
I pulled the bowl of scalding water into my lap.

I remember screaming, and Mum rushing in and pulling my thick woolly stockings off, and seeing my skin come off with them!

Luckily it missed my 'privates' - phew - but I was burned down one thigh from my knicker leg almost down to my knee.
Dad had to come home from work to take me to hospital.
Luckily, I was only left with a scar about 1" big, and even that has faded now.

I never used that darn stuff again.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

What a horrible and painful experience, Mups but you were obviously very fortunate. I bet your mum was distraught and carried the guilt for a long time.

Yes, I think it would have been Friars Balsam. Now the name is mentioned, I can actually relate the smell. (the sensory memory is wonderful thing )

Re: Grandma's Remedies

Stopping nose bleeds by putting keys down ones back, was another that springs to mind.

Re: Grandma's Remedies

Rubbing dock leaves on nettle stings....